Agent Under Fire
by BakaInuGirl
Summary: Kagome Higurashi's a federal agent who just lost her partner, Houjou, in a mysterious case that she just can't crack. Her new partner? An arrogant FBI agent by the name of Inuyasha. But how does Kagome know him from the past? AU InuKag
1. Chapter 1

Agent Under Fire by BakaInuGirl  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters... or the FBI... so I don't want Rumiko Takahashi coming after me... or an evil federal agent!!!  
  
A/N: This is my first fanfic ever. I've been reading a lot from other authors from various places and felt inspired. I knew I wanted to write one, just didn't know on what or how. But I found a way. Hope you like it! Please read and review!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The office buzzed with noise: agents moving quickly through paperwork, others typing up reports at their hub, and some agents talking at the coffee machine about a new case. One agent sat in a cubicle in the corner of the large room, staring at an open file. A face, bloated from death, stared up at the agent with cold lifeless eyes. The young woman had always prided herself on remaining professional and detached from cases, but the one she was staring at, trying to connect the pieces, caused tears of frustration to rise quickly to her stormy blue eyes. A harsh yell sounded through the noisy office, causing everyone to turn towards its' source.  
  
"HIGURASHI!" bellowed a tall man with quite the belly, one no doubt caused by years sitting behind his desk. The young woman immediately popped her head up above her cubicle's walls and saw the lieutenant sporting an extremely red face covered with an aggravated expression. Upon seeing the young woman he shouted, "My office! Now!" and turned to storm back into his hub, separated from the others with a glass wall.  
  
Silently groaning, Kagome Higurashi, a third year FBI agent, stood up, straightened her black pinstriped suit jacket, smoothed her pants, and made sure her long, wavy black hair was still neatly swept up. Carefully closing the file she had been concentrating on, she made her way down to the lieutenant's office.  
  
"Oooh, Higurashi getting called to the Lieu's office!" cooed Miroku Houshi, another agent, one Kagome actually considered a friend. The young man was seated at his own desk, dressed in an appropriate black suit, though he sported a purple tie, and had his own hair pulled into a small ponytail, prohibited by the dress code, but still worn by him. His deep violet eyes sparkled with mischief.  
  
"Shut up, Houshi!" Sango Taijiya, his partner, snapped while smacking him upside the head. The young woman smiled at Kagome, her own brown eyes lighting with amusement caught from the young man. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a suitable ponytail. She wore a black suit, similar to Kagome's, except she wore a skirt, perhaps a little too short for an agent, and a magenta dress shirt. "Don't worry Kagome, he's all bark and no bite!" Seeing Miroku smirk at that statement she quickly added, "The Lieutenant I mean!" and then added just above a whisper so Houshi could hear, "Hentai."  
  
Kagome smiled at the two. Sango had been her roommate at the Academy and the two became inseparable. Miroku had been in their graduating class as well and the two had grown to like him despite his perverted antics and passes at them. "Thanks, Sango," Kagome replied. "Hey, after I'm done getting reamed out, you two wanna grab lunch in the caf?"  
  
"You sure you want the pervert to come?" Sango asked.  
  
"If only for comic relief," Kagome said.  
  
"Hey! I resemble that remark!" Miroku called to her back, and Sango rolled her eyes at his odd humor.  
  
Kagome took a deep breath and opened the lieutenant's door and slipped inside. "Sir? You wanted to see me?" she asked in her professional voice, confident and assertive.  
  
"Sit down, Higurashi," Lieutenant Myouga said, a little less gruff than before. Kagome moved forward and sat in the chair directly in front of his desk. "Now, Kagome, I know you've been looking at Houjou's file, trying to find something, but I must strongly advise against it. You know we have our best team working on it," he said slowly, showing her kindness he rarely showed anyone. Kagome visibly stiffened at the sound of her partner's name.  
  
"Sir, I think I'm on to something. This wasn't an isolated incident and I think it might happen again. There's some evidence that shows it might be connected with the, " she began to protest. Myouga raised his hand to silence her, "No, Kagome. Houjou's death effected more than just you or I. All of our field agents are feeling his loss. But I must insist that you refrain from opening his file again, for your sanity Kagome. If this case is indeed larger than the homicide of one our agents, then you will be placing yourself in the face of danger. I can't afford to lose two of my finest agents."  
  
Frowning slightly, but no longer protesting, Kagome gave a curt nod to her superior, "Yes, Lieutenant."  
  
"Good. As for your partner assignment, we've brought someone in from Virginia," Myouga stated while beginning to sift through the paperwork that mobbed his desk.  
  
"A rookie?!" Kagome exclaimed, looking quite shocked that she a veteran agent would have to baby-sit some rookie fresh out of the Quantico womb.  
  
"On the contrary, Higurashi," Lieutenant Myouga said, now changing back to his gruff self. "He has been working for the field and police training unit for quite a number of years. You may have had him in training yourself."  
  
Remembering herself and her position in the unit she asked, "Sir? May I know the name of my new partner?"  
  
"The name's Taisho, Inuyasha Taisho," Myouga said, never meeting her eyes for fear he would surely laugh at her expression.  
  
Kagome's mouth hung slightly agape. _Inuyasha Taisho? The gods couldn't possibly have it out for me any worse, could they?  
_  
"Thank you, sir for assigning me a partner with experience. He will be most helpful to the team," Kagome said, regaining control from her initial shock. "With your permission I'll leave and return a certain file to the Cyber Division."  
  
"Good work, Higurashi," the lieutenant said before turning his chair from her.  
  
Kagome left the office with a sigh and her own thoughts. _Taisho?! The most arrogant field trainer at the Academy is my partner?  
_  
Kagome thought back to her own days at Quantico. She had been incredibly young to go into the program. She had been applying for two years, and finally, at the age of 20, she was accepted into the Investigative Training Unit, after being one of the top students at her university. She knew she was young, she knew she was inexperienced at so much, and she knew she would be competing with men far more athletically superior than her. Meeting Sango at move-in had been a godsend. Sango was strong and athletic, smart and incisive, confident and relaxed. Kagome knew just being around her would help her self-confidence.  
  
But the first week of field training scared her the most. That's when she met Inuyasha Taisho. An intimidating man at the young age of 23, with an intense gaze, made all the rookies cringe in fear without even laying eyes on him.

_Flashback_

They had been lined up, a class of a little over twenty men and women from around the country, awaiting their instructor. A man, just less than six feet tall, marched towards them. His silver, almost white hair was pulled behind him in a low ponytail, and his lowered head helped his bangs cover his eyes from the class. They all could see muscles flexing under his instructor's uniform blue tee shirt and his military blue cami's fit his muscled legs well. He paced in front of them, clipboard behind his back, waiting for one of them to move. Someone towards the end of the line shifted and he swooped down in front of the rookie faster than any of them could blink. The rookie, poor Kagome, began to shake.  
  
"Did I tell you that you could move?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.  
  
"No, sir," Kagome stated. Somehow she pulled her body together and stopped shaking. "Sorry, sir."  
  
"DID I TELL YOU THAT YOU COULD SPEAK?" he screamed at her, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes tightly. After a moment of silence she opened her eyes to see his head still lowered. Finally, he raised his head to look into her face, and she gasped to see a pair of amber eyes staring intensely into her own. Her heart screamed, he's gorgeous, while her head screamed, he's an arrogant jerk!  
  
Regaining her voice and a little of her pride she stood her ground and looked directly into his eyes. "If I wasn't supposed to answer, sir, why did you ask me a question?" she asked, and then immediately regretted her words for his eyes narrowed on hers. Stepping back from her he glanced at his clipboard and then turned to look at the class. "Well Unit 78, it seems Higurashi here as just earned you all 10 miles on the field. I suggest you start running now if you want to get back before midnight," he stated before blowing a whistle to signal the start of their run. The class groaned and some shot Kagome looks to kill, one being Miroku. At that moment, Kagome knew she hated Inuyasha Taisho and her big mouth.  
  
"Don't worry, Kagome," Sango reassured when they were safely out of Taisho's hearing range, "I admire your courage. Plus, he probably would've made us run anyway." Sango's words made Kagome feel a little better, but she still groaned at the idea of training with Inuyasha for the remainder of her time at the Academy.

_End Flashback_

Kagome had been in such deep thought that she didn't even realize she had been moving, but somehow her brain had gone on autopilot and had maneuvered back to her desk, retrieved Houjou's file, and made it to Cyber Division and back without even knowing. She didn't come back to reality until Sango touched her arm as she walked passed, making Kagome jump.  
  
"Hey, Kagome, we're still on for lunch right?" Sango asked cheerfully. "Kagome? Are you feeling all right? You look a little pale."  
  
"Oh! Sango! Um... yeah, I'm all right. Lunch sounds great and I have lots to tell you!" Kagome answered.  
  
Miroku somehow snuck up behind the two. "Lunch with two beautiful ladies that could kick my ass if I put one finger out of line. How does a guy get so lucky?"  
  
Both Sango and Kagome gave him an annoyed look and the young women took off in the direction of the cafeteria leaving Miroku in the cubicle with a confused look on his face. "What?" he asked and then trotted off after them.

Well, that's it! Hope you liked the first installment! I'm new at this whole thing, but I look forward to your comments, good or bad! Let me know! B.I.G.


	2. Chapter 2

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Ok! So here's Chapter 2!! Thanks to my first reviewers! You are grand! Oh btw... a special thanks to Moi-inconnue for helping me with my settings! Like I said, I'm new around here and I really appreciate the help!!! Read and Review! I love comments and I'd love to hear what y'all have to say!

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Chapter 2  
  
As Kagome, Sango, and Miroku moved down the cafeteria line to pay Sango spoke up.  
  
"So, Kagome, why did you look like you had seen a ghost back at the office? You came out completely silent from Myouga's? What's wrong?" Sango asked tentatively.  
  
"The lieutenant knows I've been briefing Houjou's file," Kagome simply stated hiding any emotion she may have been feeling.  
  
"Oh no," Sango whispered lowly.  
  
"He ordered me off the file and told me to trust the team they have on the case as of now. But how can I do that?" she asked, her face turning slightly red. "Houjou was one of my best friends. He taught me so much being here the last few years, how can I just walk away?"  
  
"Because you know if you don't, the lieu will have your ass!" Miroku said next to the two young women. Sango shot him a glare.  
  
"Maybe it is for the best, Kagome. What if you were to find something that would be dangerous to you?" Sango said softly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.  
  
"I think I've already found it," Kagome said while handing the cafeteria attendant her money.  
  
"Is that what you wanted to tell us?" Sango asked also paying for her lunch. Kagome shook her head slowly. Walking to a small table away from other agents, Kagome set down her tray and watched Sango and Miroku make their way over. He was saying something, most likely perverted, that only Sango could hear, and telling by her expression he was going to get smacked. Kagome felt a sudden sadness that she had just lost her partner, her best friend, and someone she had once joked around with similar to Miroku and Sango.  
  
Her face had grown dark and withdrawn as her friends sat down. "Uh oh, Kagome, spill it," Sango said upon seeing her friend's face.  
  
"I have a new partner," Kagome said blandly. Her thoughts immediately switching to the instructor from Quantico, who still scared her, at least on some level, and who still made her angry just at the thought of him.  
  
"Really? Who?" Sango and Miroku asked in unison.  
  
Kagome looked up at them, something flashing in her eyes. "Inuyasha Taisho," she said with a slight groan. Sango's face showed her obvious shock and Miroku was shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
Finally, Miroku spoke up. "Man, that's harsh! Did the lieutenant say why they were getting someone from outside the division?"  
  
"No, actually. I couldn't even ask. I was in such shock and I couldn't believe that Myouga would partner me with such an arrogant jerk!" Kagome exclaimed her face showing her anger.  
  
"Well, Kagome, it has been a few years and you'll be his equal now, even more so because you have experience in the unit. Maybe he isn't the same person we knew at the Academy," Sango said brightly. Kagome hadn't thought about that. _Maybe he has changed since our days at Quantico?  
_  
The three friends talked some more over lunch and then headed back up to their unit. Miroku had been walking in front of the women when he turned to Kagome.  
  
"So, Kagome, did the lieu tell you when Taisho would be joining the unit?" Miroku asked.  
  
"Not at all. He almost seemed like he wanted to brief me and shove me out of his office. He wouldn't even look at me when he told me about Taisho," Kagome said.  
  
"Well, it seems that he's joining the unit sooner than we all may have thought," Miroku stated lowly and moved to the side so Kagome and Sango could see Myouga talking to a man in a navy blue suit. His back was turned towards them and they could see the long silver ponytail pulled back at the nape of his neck. Kagome stopped walking and groaned.  
  
"Taisho," she said barely above a whisper. As if he had heard her from across the large room, he turned towards the small group. His eyes swept over Houshi and Taijiya briefly before settling on Kagome. His intense amber gaze locking her stormy blue eyes, causing her breath to catch in her throat out of anxiety. He raised his hand briefly in a short wave to the group and returned back to Myouga to finish their conversation.  
  
The group slowly moved towards the two and with a quick pat to Inuyasha's back Myouga turned to Kagome to introduce her new partner.  
  
"Oh, good, Higurashi, this is your new partner..." Lieutenant Myouga began. Kagome gaining her bearings and realizing they were in her home court put her hand out to take Inuyasha's.  
  
"Inuyasha Taisho, I know," Kagome said in that professional voice she used around the lieutenant. She knew she had to show Taisho here and now that she was _not_ going to be pushed around here and can take matters into her own hands.  
  
"Higurashi," Inuyasha said while grasping her hand firmly, his eyes meeting her gaze and never faltering. "You've come along way from field training haven't you?"  
  
Kagome dropped her hand from his grasp so he wouldn't notice her body tense up at his mention of the past. Quickly regaining her head she laughed lightly, "It seems you've come along way from field training as well, Taisho."  
  
He laughed loudly, making Kagome and the others jump slightly. She had never heard him laugh before: it was heartfelt and carefree. _Maybe Sango was right maybe he had changed.  
_  
"Yeah, it's about time they get me away from the children. Although I don't know if my replacement can instill fear into the hearts of new agents as well as I could," he said.  
  
The group laughed at his comment, although the three young agents laughed a little more nervously than the other two.  
  
"Well, Higurashi, you should show Taisho his hub. I believe you two have a case ahead of you," Lieutenant Myouga encouraged.  
  
"Right, Lieutenant. Taisho, this way," Kagome said pointing down a row of cubicles, feeling a little more comfortable than she had a few moments ago. "Taijiya, Houshi, good afternoon." Sango and Miroku smiled and nodded at Kagome before turning and heading down to their own hub.  
  
Kagome led Inuyasha down between a few cubicles before stopping at hers. "This is my desk and that's yours right across the way. Once you've set yourself up I can brief you on the Yukari case," she told him. He looked at her briefly, almost amused, before turning around and heading to his desk and starting to unpack his briefcase.  
  
Kagome sat down with a sigh and closed her eyes. _Houjou, if only you were still here. We would've cracked this case within days. I hope Taisho's up for the challenge.  
_  
"Um, Higurashi? You ok?" a voice asked from the entrance of her cubicle. She jumped and looked up at the source. Inuyasha's intense amber eyes stared into hers, a look of concern etched across his face.  
  
"Oh! Yes, yes, I'm fine. It's been quite a day really," Kagome said, a blush brought on by her embarrassment covering her cheeks.  
  
"Right, of course. Well, what about that case, then?" Inuyasha asked searching her desk for what might look like a case file. He found one sitting on her desk and reached for it, hoping to get an idea for what lay ahead.  
  
"Case? Oh! The Yukari case, right!" Kagome replied a little frazzled that she had been caught off guard, and a little shaken up from the day already. "Well, as you can see from the file it's another result of the Washington shootings. At first," she said looking around his shoulder when she froze. He was not holding the Yukari case. "Where did you get that?" she asked.  
  
He looked up at her when he heard her tone. She sounded annoyed, but panic was fighting it's way into her voice. "It was on your desk, Higurashi."  
  
Kagome gasped as her eyes widened. Hitting her head she groaned. "I returned the Yukari case to Cyber instead of this one!" she exclaimed. Yes, she was in a daze when she had returned it, but it was clearly marked! She should have noticed it!  
  
"Ok, well I'm sure we can return this one no problem. Who is this Hobo guy anyway?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
In Kagome's mind she had already pounced on him and was beating him to a bloody pulp for daring to make fun of Houjou's name. In reality, Kagome explained calmly, "His name was Houjou Onegawa, he was my partner." Inuyasha's demeanor changed immediately, and had she been looking at him she would've seen the look of regret on his face for opening his mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry Kagome, sometimes my mouth works without my brain. As I'm sure you can recall. I heard great things about your partner. The two of you, actually." At this she looked up at him, a shadow of sadness had crawled into her eyes. "Oh, what? You think we just work you guys to death and never keep an ear out for how you're doing?" he joked.  
  
She laughed, a small smile crossing her features, and Inuyasha smiled back at her. Where was the jerk she had known only a few years ago? Maybe it was just his job?  
  
"You'll do great things, Kagome. I know that. You were one of the best in your class," he said, looking down at the file once more.  
  
"I was?" Kagome asked, almost stunned. She knew her grades had been high but she always thought field training brought her overall performance way down.  
  
Inuyasha looked at her with surprise. "Remember the first day of field training?"  
  
She looked up at him crossly. "Yes, I remember all too well our 10 mile run our very first day!"  
  
Inuyasha laughed loudly again, some agents stopping what they were doing to turn and look at the two. "See? That's what I'm talking about! That fire. I knew that first day you'd be an excellent agent because you weren't just going to lie down and take whatever came at you. You knew what you wanted and you were willing to fight for it. That's what I saw that day. But you can't very well tell a first year rookie in the Academy that on their first day. No. You've gotta run it out of them!" he said.  
  
She looked at him, a bit taken aback. He had just complimented her! Not only that but told her she had fire! Kagome felt herself blush slightly, not used to being complimented on her work. Normally, it was a pat on the back and a "Good work, Higurashi!"  
  
Regaining what little composure he had just left her with she took the file from his hands and closed it resolutely. "Come on, Taisho. Let's book it over to Cyber. May not be a 10 mile run, but it'll have to do for _your_ first day."  
  
Inuyasha laughed again and began to follow Kagome out of the office. "You know, Higurashi. This may be the start to a beautiful friendship."

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Well, there it is! Chapter 2! Hope people are reading. Read and Review and let me know what you think! BakaInuGirl


	3. Chapter 3

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Hey! Thanks for reviewing readers! I know Inu seems a little OOC right now (even I had my doubts while writing) but we'll see where he goes! - Anyway, here's the next installment. I should have chapters up pretty quickly. This story's kind of writing itself but don't get mad if it doesn't happen everyday (although I am unemployed for the summer so I don't see why not!) I won't forget our favorite team!  
  
Disclaimer: Oops... kind of forgot this in the last chapter. As I've said before and will say many times again: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters.  
  
**Chapter 3**  
  
Walking to the Cyber Division gave Kagome and Inuyasha a chance to talk about his move to Investigative.  
  
"This is probably going to sound rude, but, why, exactly, did they move you here?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inuyasha thought for a moment before answering, "I volunteered."  
  
Kagome looked at him suspiciously, "One can't volunteer to become a field agent," she said incredulously.  
  
Inuyasha caught her look out of the corner of his eye, "You're right. Very quick, Higurashi. I sort of bullied my superiors into it."  
  
Kagome's mouth fell open. "You bullied them into it?" _Now that's the Inuyasha Taisho I remember.  
_  
Inuyasha smirked and turned to her, "I went into the Academy just like you. But I was better at field training and kicking ass than analyzing my surroundings. They thought I was too hotheaded to be an effective field agent. So when I was finished I applied for the job as field trainer, but only with the stipulation that when I got my head under control that I could apply for a field agent position."  
  
"Ohhh, so you had been there for so many years, calmed down, and now felt you were ready to move up," Kagome finished for him.  
  
"Right. Then when they learned I would be your partner they didn't even hesitate. They figure with your 'logical mind' as they called it and my 'physical prowess' we'd be an unstoppable team," Inuyasha finished.  
  
"Wait a second. Hang on here," Kagome said raising her hands in front of her, stopping them in the middle of the hallway. "The superiors don't feel that I can handle my own on a physical level?" She was now turning a slight shade of red, her anger rising to the surface.  
  
"Don't go all bitch-mode on me. I'm just the messenger. Besides you asked," Inuyasha snapped back.  
  
"Bitch-mode?" Kagome yelled. "You haven't seen me in bitch-mode or I'd have you running the other way with your tail between your legs! I can handle myself just fine out on the field and could probably kick your ass any day of the week! And you can't fool me, Taisho! That good guy act was to get your ass in the door, but watch your step you're in my court now. One foot out of line and I'll send you back to babysitting before you can say 'Yes, Ma'am!'" Her cheeks were now a deep crimson, her lips slightly red from her outburst, and her eyes were bright with anger. Inuyasha thought he had never seen a woman look so beautiful.  
  
Inuyasha smirked, "You know, Higurashi, you are _ugly_ when you are angry!" With that Kagome turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway to retrieve the file they had been looking for.  
  
When they got to Cyber, Kagome was still running high on anger, "I need the Yukari file back," she said her voice still angry.  
  
Inuyasha snatched Houjou's file away from Kagome's grasp. Kagome reeled around on him, "If you don't mind Taisho, I'd like to get to the other file."  
  
"So, get to it. I want to brief this one, too," Inuyasha replied. The clerk glancing between the two decided to retrieve the Yukari file before something blew up there.  
  
"You know, for just a moment back at the office I thought you weren't the arrogant jerk we all knew and hated at Quantico," Kagome let out, immediately putting a hand to her lips that were shut tight. _Damn it! There I go again. There's something about Taisho that just makes me so... FRUSTRATED!  
_  
Inuyasha chuckled, "Higurashi, you're still uptight after all these years, aren't you? Can't get over the fact I pushed you to your limit?"  
  
Kagome stiffened and then decided she wasn't going to play into his game, he would have to play into hers, "Go ahead, Taisho, look at the file all you want. But Lieutenant Myouga has ordered everyone off that case and for good reason." The clerk had returned with the Yukari file and Kagome smiled before turning to Inuyasha. She leaned close to him, so close that he could smell the faint scent of coconut from her shampoo, and whispered lowly, "But you'll never push me to my limit."  
  
Inuyasha stood there for a few minutes, and then realized that Kagome had already started back to the office, nodding at the clerk he started after Kagome. He caught up with her in the hallway, "Higurashi, why did the Lieutenant order everyone off the Onegawa case?" he asked when he approached her. He saw her intake of breath deepen. _She's trying to keep her control. But why? I don't think it's all because of me.  
_  
"Myouga thought we were all too close to Houjou, that our perception was tainted. We could no longer see the truth. But," she stopped talking. She didn't know if she could trust Inuyasha with her thoughts on Houjou's death. She hadn't even told Sango or Miroku yet!  
  
"But?" Inuyasha probed.  
  
"But I don't think his death was an isolated incident. I think it was planned. Planned very well," Kagome continued, her voice lowering so people passing by couldn't hear her directly.  
  
"Planned? In house?" he asked, his face becoming very serious, almost scowling.  
  
"I don't know. I mean Houjou didn't really have enemies around here. Most of the agents really liked him. I think it may have been someone who had a grudge from the outside. Someone involved in a past case," she said, her eyes glossing over with thought.  
  
Inuyasha stopped walking and reached for her elbow, "Kagome, if it was about a past case that would put your life in danger as well, would it not?"  
  
She lowered her eyes to the ground, "Yes, it would. We were partners after all. I believe that's why Myouga ordered me off the case."  
  
"Ok, so Myouga ordered everyone from your division off the Onegawa case. But what if you were to review past cases you two worked on together. Maybe we could uncover something that would lead us to your partner's murderer," Inuyasha said, his face still serious. Kagome looked up at him with something that resembled hope shining in her eyes. At that moment she could have hugged Inuyasha, but she remembered that he was still holding her arm and looked down at his hand. Inuyasha released her from his grasp and they both moved back several steps an awkward blush creeping onto both of their faces.  
  
"Thank you, Inuyasha. You know you have quite the intuitive mind when you're not being a class-A jerk," Kagome said, smiling slightly.  
  
"Why, Higurashi! I believe that was a compliment!" he said while laughing. "So, shall we head to the archives?"  
  
"No need. Houjou created a program on our computers so we could access all our past cases faster and easier than hardcopy files," Kagome replied, and turned to head back to the office, their earlier argument forgotten.  
  
Back at the office Kagome pulled the program up on her computer, while Inuyasha leaned over her chair to see the screen. There turned out to be dozens of cases within the program, all ranging in severity from fraud to homicide. Kagome sighed, "We can't possibly go through all of these. There have been so many."  
  
Inuyasha looked down at her, "From what I hear you and Onegawa were extremely close. You should try to find out as much as you can without going against the lieutenant." The way he had said _close_ made Kagome uncomfortable.  
  
Kagome turned slightly in her chair, a little perturbed, "Houjou and I were close, but not the way that you are obviously thinking. We had been through a lot, became best friends even. But we never crossed the line of professionalism."  
  
"Somehow, Kagome, it doesn't surprise me that you never cross that line," he replied and turned his attention back to the computer.  
  
She frowned, "Whatever, Taisho."  
  
They searched through the files late into the afternoon. Inuyasha had finally pulled a chair over and the two were printing out anything that looked group related. They were working well together with only the occasional remarks or comments passing between the two, usually leaving one of them annoyed at the other. Things seemed to be going well when they heard the lieutenant bellow again through the office, "Higurashi! Taisho! Office!"  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other. What could the lieutenant be angry with now? They were only briefing archived cases. They both walked quickly to his office and went in, standing in front of his desk.  
  
"The Yukari case. How goes it?" Myouga asked. Kagome never missed a beat.  
  
"The case seems to need more review. It definitely may be related to the other shootings, but considering it was sent to Cyber means the Internet was involved somehow. It reeks of online dating gone wrong. If it's related to the other shootings than we may have the possibility of it being serial activity with the Internet being the medium," she said.  
  
"I think it's definitely crossed over into serial. The Internet connection may just have been a coincidence. Crossed wires. But if it needs more review you better start now, there's been another victim," Myouga said handing her another file. "Higurashi, Taisho, this one needs to be solved as soon as possible, no fooling around. The newest victim was a congressman's daughter. This case has been blown big and unless it's solved soon this unit's going to start feeling the heat from the government."  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha wore identical expressions of controlled shock. They knew the pressure was on and they needed to work this case out before any more girls were found dead.  
  
"This case will be our first priority, Lieutenant," Inuyasha spoke up and Kagome nodded.  
  
"It better be, Taisho, otherwise it's my ass on the line, along with the both of yours, now get back to that case!" Myouga ordered. The two left his office and walked back to their hub. Kagome plopped down onto her chair completely spent from the day's events.  
  
"Higurashi, we haven't reviewed that case all day, I think we should review it tonight," Inuyasha suggested standing at her cubicle doorway.  
  
"I can't possibly stay in this office anymore today. It's been an _extremely_ long day and I need to get out. But if you don't mind we can work at my place. I'll order Chinese, that is, if you can stand eating while reviewing a homicide case," she said smirking up at him.  
  
"I can handle anything you can dish out, Higurashi, and then some," he said turning from her. "Let me get my stuff and we'll head out. Can you be ready in a few?" He turned back to her when he got to his desk to see her, briefcase in hand. "Wow, all women should be ready that fast!"  
  
"I told you, I can't stay in this place any longer, I need to get out!" she said, checking her watch impatiently waiting for him to get his stuff.  
  
They got outside and to the parking lot before Inuyasha realized he didn't know where she lived. "Higurashi? Should I follow you there or do you want to give me directions real quick?"  
  
"Oh, right. Well, I don't really live that far from headquarters so if you can keep up you can follow," Kagome said before walking over to her black Jeep. Inuyasha just smirked at her, like she had done earlier, "I think I can keep up Higurashi, if you sit tight for a few minutes I'll drive around so I can follow you."  
  
She nodded and tossed her briefcase into the passenger side of her car. She had barely gotten to the driver's side when a red motorcycle pulled up near her car. She turned around to see Inuyasha, his suit jacket exchanged for a leather one, and a red helmet hiding his face. You would've thought a guy on a motorcycle in a suit would've looked odd. But Kagome thought Inuyasha somehow looked _right_ on it. He flipped up his visor, "Higurashi, I thought you said I was the one who couldn't keep up! Get in the car already!"  
  
Kagome huffed and got into the jeep, turning the engine over and revving it. She pulled out quickly, just barely missed hitting him, and pulled out of the lot. She _did_ live close to HQ for five minutes later they pulled into a parking garage next to an apartment complex.  
  
"Ah, home," said Kagome when she got out of the car. Inuyasha had pulled in next to her and was in the process of extracting his briefcase from his saddlebag. "Nice bike, Taisho," Kagome said behind him, "K 1200 RS, BMW, right?"  
  
He turned to her, his mouth hanging open, "How in the seven hells did you know what model?"  
  
"Oh, that. My dad had a 1972 Triumph Bonneville, T 120 R. He fixed it up himself, went riding a lot, but was in a bad accident a few years back and my mom said it was the bike or her, so the Triumph's been sitting in the shed ever since," she said. She talked easily now, he noticed, probably because she was home and not at the office. "Besides, we'd always talk about the sissy bikes, Beamers mostly, so I keep up with the latest models still."  
  
"I'd love to meet him, maybe he could help me fix up some other bikes I have, ones that aren't as '_sissy_' you said?" Inuyasha joked.  
  
Kagome looked down at her hands holding onto her briefcase, "Actually, my father passed away last year." She looked up to see Inuyasha's regretful expression, "No worries, Taisho, you didn't know. Besides, maybe I'd be able to help you with your bikes. I'd like to get the Triumph out anyways for a ride, although it'd take some convincing for my mom to let me out on it."  
  
"Sorry, Kagome, I didn't mean to upset you if I did," Inuyasha said, his face taking on a hurt puppy quality to it. _He called me, Kagome_.  
  
"Like I said, no worries, Taisho. Come on, let's get upstairs and order some take-out. I'm starving!" she exclaimed, while dragging him towards the stairs of the parking garage.  
  
She opened the door into a modest apartment and directed Inuyasha to the sofa. Throwing a Chinese menu at him she walked to her bedroom, "Pick what you want, I'm gonna run and get changed. As much as I _love_ wearing this suit all the time, I hear sweats and a hoodie calling my name! Make yourself comfortable!"  
  
Inuyasha glanced around the apartment. It screamed Kagome. Everything was neat and simple and had it's own place. Green sheer drapes let the sunset shine through her window and onto hard wood floors that glowed like they had just been waxed. She had black and white pictures hanging on her wall. Some of friends, most likely from high school, one of her, Sango, and Miroku from their days at the Academy, and one of Kagome when she was little in the arms of a man. The picture seemed to have been taken at some type of museum with models of dinosaurs. Kagome had tears in her eyes and was clinging for dear life, but the man was laughing and giving the camera a peace sign. _That must be her father_.  
  
He sat down on her green sofa with a sigh and tried to choose what he wanted for dinner. He found that he was starving as well. He had skipped lunch for his meeting with the lieutenant.  
  
Kagome came back into the living room, "Oh that feels SO much better!" Inuyasha looked up from the menu at her. She was wearing what looked like blue pajama bottoms and a navy blue FBI hoodie. She had let her hair down from the confines of the clip she was wearing earlier and her black hair flowed in waves down her back. She went over to the front door to grab her briefcase, where she had dropped it upon arriving at the apartment. When she reached down for her case he saw the pajamas had the word 'GRUMPY' written across the back. _That doesn't even begin to describe her!  
_  
Inuyasha chuckled, "Grumpy." Kagome didn't miss his snicker.  
  
"I'll have you know these are my most comfy pj pants! And I'm only grumpy cause you're a jerk," she said with a slight pout. "Have you decided what you want yet?"  
  
He looked at her oddly, then realized she meant for dinner and handed her the menu, "Sesame chicken's fine."  
  
"I heart sesame chicken!" she exclaimed. "Ok, so you're not all that _bad_ if we like the same Chinese food."  
  
"You _heart_ sesame chicken? What are you, in high school?" he asked.  
  
"Just something that never left my vocabulary," she replied.  
  
"You loosen up a lot at home don't you?" he asked, wondering how this woman who had gone from the professional all American agent to a laid back, pajama wearing, sesame chicken 'heart'-ing woman.  
  
"You may think I'm uptight, Inuyasha, but I'm just serious about my job. I've always wanted to be an agent and now that I am, I don't want to mess that up. There's plenty of time for fun away from the office, and believe it or not, some of us are even friends outside HQ!" she said sticking her tongue out at him. _She called me, Inuyasha.  
_  
"You're right. We are partners after all and if we're working together in and out of the office, we kind of have to like being around each other," he told her. "Although, I kind of lost the uptight opinion about you when you said you wanted to ride your dad's Triumph. Any girl wanting to ride is okay in my book."  
  
Kagome laughed and got up to order the food.  
  
"The guy said our food should be here in about 20 minutes. So, let's pull out that case and start going over the basics before he can get here. Then break for dinner and then back to the case!" she said cheerfully.  
  
"Fine by me," he said. "How 'bout we start with Yukari then work on Daughter Congressman?"  
  
They opened the files and set to work.

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Hey y'all. Here's Chapter 3! I have no idea where this story is going! All I know is it's going! Kind of writing itself! Well, we'll see where it goes! Read and Review! BakaInuGirl 


	4. Chapter 4

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: I'm happy people are liking this story! Like I've been saying I'm really new at this so I don't know what people want or like to see. But I hope it's acceptable! :-P Anyways, here's the next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.  
  
**Chapter 4  
**  
Kagome had completely caught up Inuyasha on the Yukari case. It seemed that a young girl, age 18, was shot and killed in a back alley way, then raped post-mortem, only a few weeks ago. There had been a random shooter that the unit had been tracking in the Washington area that they couldn't quite catch.  
  
Kikyou Yukari had been the fifth victim of the shooter, but her case was different. The other victims had only been killed; the shooter didn't risk leaving DNA on the others, which made Kagome believe that she had been the victim of a different crime. But Myouga had said they were related. What did he know that she didn't? That _they_ didn't. Kagome sighed loudly causing Inuyasha to turn to her.  
  
"Frustrated?" he asked.  
  
"I just don't get it. I thought it was just some crazy old guy that found this young girl online, met her, killed her, etc. But if that were the case it wouldn't have been sent to the government. There's a piece missing and I just can't find it," Kagome replied, a deep frown forming on her brow.  
  
"Well, do we know why it was sent to Cyber to begin with?" he asked her.  
  
"When her house was examined they searched her computer's hard drive and found files, old conversations between the girl and a random person online. So, they sent it to Cyber to see if they could find who where the guy was accessing the Internet from. But I still think the victim was too old to be falling for an online romance," she said handing him the printouts of the online conversations.  
  
Briefly looking through them Inuyasha asked Kagome, "You think these could have been set up?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, what if it is the same guy as the other murders, but he set up the whole online scenario to throw the investigation off?" he suggested.  
  
"But why? That's what I don't understand. This guy is nothing like anything I've ever seen before. None of the victims are similar really: both men and women, all different ages, none from the same area or economic status. It almost seems completely random," she said, raising her hands in a defeated gesture. Her doorbell rang and she jumped up running to the door, "Thank God, I thought I was gonna have to sacrifice my liver to my stomach!"  
  
She paid the delivery guy and brought the food back into the living room and setting it down on the coffee table. "You want a drink, Inuyasha? I have some Coke in the fridge," she told him turning to walk into the kitchen.  
  
"Coke's fine," he answered, opening up the bag and setting their food down on the table. "Spork or chopsticks?" he asked her when she handed him the soda.  
  
"Spork! I feel like a retarded octopus with chopsticks," she joked while sitting down on the floor between the couch and the table.  
  
"I didn't realize an octopus_ could_ be retarded," he said, smirking down at her on the floor.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."  
  
Inuyasha kicked off his shoes and pulled off his tie tossing it on the couch before joining Kagome on the floor. They ate for a few minutes silently before Kagome looked up at him, "So, who are you, Taisho?"  
  
"What do you mean, who am I?" he asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, all I know about you is what I learned at Quantico. I really don't know that much about you at all. Well, anything good that is," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
"Well, what do you want to know?" he asked.  
  
"You're not going to make this easy are you," she said frowning at him. "Make me pry info out of you like an interrogation?"  
  
"I just don't know what you want me to say. I was a military brat; moved around a lot, never really saw my dad. My mom passed away right before I went into the Academy myself. My dad doesn't want to talk to me anymore since I chose the FBI over the Army and I have a step-brother that I never see because he's tied up in the Senate," he said, his eyes darkening. He knew he had told her too much about his family, but he felt like she should know a little since he had been a jerk mentioning her father.  
  
"Sorry," she said quietly.  
  
"Don't worry about it," he said gruffly.  
  
"I should've started out with something easy, like 'what's your favorite color,'" she said playing with a piece of chicken on her plate.  
  
He smirked, "Well, I'm sure I would've told you eventually and that way when I'm being an asshole you can know why. Maybe not switch into bitch- mode too quickly next time."  
  
He was teasing. She knew it. But she also didn't like the fact he thought she was a bitch without knowing anything about her. Maybe she had her own reasons for being so cold.  
  
After a few moments of not saying anything he finally muttered, "Red."  
  
"What?" Kagome asked. She had barely heard him but knew he had said something.  
  
"My favorite color is red," he said slowly. "Yours?"  
  
"Green," she said, giving him a slight smile. He may be a jerk, may call her a bitch, but she knew that they'd work well together.  
  
He saw her smile and was relieved she didn't want to have a serious conversation concerning his family. "So, how 'bout we focus on Daughter Congressman?"  
  
"Sure," she said reaching for the file. Opening it up she read aloud, "Tomoko Shirakawa, age 15, found strangled to death in alleyway, bullet to head... that's funny," she stopped reading.  
  
"What?" Inuyasha asked leaning closer to her to get a good look at the file.  
  
"It says here she was shot post-mortem. He shot her after he had killed her. Why?" Kagome questioned raising her eyes from the file, staring off into some unknown world.  
  
"Copycat," Inuyasha said.  
  
"What?" she asked turning her far-off gaze to him.  
  
"I think these two murders, Yukari and Shirakawa, are related to each other, not to the other shootings. Well, in a _way_ it's related, but not really. It's a copycat murderer trying to make these two look like the work of the other guy. We're looking for two different killers. This guy is killing young women for another reason than the shooter was targeting those random victims," he finished.  
  
Kagome could've smacked herself. _Of course! I knew the Yukari case had been different somehow. But it took the death of this girl to clear it up!  
_  
"I think we need to go to the scene of the crime for Shirakawa," Kagome said. "Maybe we can pick something up Forensics didn't."  
  
"Do you want to go now? It's not that late yet. Plus you'll be with me, remember? I can protect you from the psychos," Inuyasha said, shooting her a look.  
  
"Like I've said before Taisho, I can handle myself and probably save your ass at the same time!" Kagome said, her face showing clear annoyance. "Let me just go throw on some sneakers, change into jeans, and I'll be ready to go."  
  
Inuyasha stood up, put on his shoes, and reached for his leather jacket. Just as he was zippering up she came back into the living room and grabbed her keys.  
  
"No, we'll take my bike," Inuyasha said. She began to protest but he shook his head. "Trust me, it's faster and you said yourself you wanted to ride."  
  
"I meant my own ride, _someday_, not tonight," she said crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
"How about a deal. I promise I'll let you kick my ass in PT tomorrow afternoon if you come on the bike," he said smirking down at her.  
  
"Let me? You'll let me? No, Taisho, I think you'll go down like a baby," she said turning around and starting towards the door. He grabbed the Shirakawa file and bolted after her.  
  
They got down to the bike and while he was putting his briefcase back into his saddlebag she was checking out the ride. Hopping on, he pulled her on behind him.  
  
"I don't have a helmet, Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, as he was putting his own on. He flipped up his visor and looked at her.  
  
"I promise I won't go too fast. Just hang on tight, lean with the turns, and you'll be fine," he said and shot her a smile before he slammed his visor down and started the engine.  
  
She grabbed the side of his jacket at the waist as he backed the bike out of the spot, but quickly threw her hands around to lock in front of his stomach when he screamed out of the parking garage. He chuckled to himself as he heard her squeal behind him.  
  
Kagome found that once the initial shock wore off, some from careening between cars in traffic and some from having to hold onto Inuyasha for dear life, she actually enjoyed the feel of the wind flying through her hair. She pressed her cheek against Inuyasha's back and could feel the cool leather and soft hair from his ponytail against her skin. But as always, instead of enjoying the moment, Kagome's brain had to kick in. _What am I doing? I barely know Taisho for 8 hours, not counting 3 years in hell at Quantico, and I've already invited him back to my apartment, had dinner, and am now joyriding on the back of his motorcycle. Way to be professional, Kagome! I've got to get it together. I'm a federal agent for Kami's sake!  
_  
She resolved to act extremely professional with Inuyasha tonight. He just joined the unit and his first experience with a partner must be by the book. _This is my job!_ Kagome thought. And her job was on the line with this case, as Myouga had made perfectly clear earlier.  
  
They got to the homicide sight quicker than she thought and she jumped off the bike as soon as he pulled to a stop. "What in the hell did you think you were doing, Taisho!? You could've gotten me killed. 'I won't go too fast' he says. Meanwhile I'm behind you screaming bloody murder and clinging to you for dear life!" she yelled.  
  
"Oh, get off it, Higurashi! You know you liked the ride otherwise you wouldn't have been pressing yourself so close to me on the way over here!" he snapped back at her.  
  
She fell silent. Her mouth forming a small 'Oh' as she realized she had been leaning on him. "See? So, don't try to pass it off that you absolutely hated it. 'Cause if I told you to get back on right now you'd be on faster than I could say, '_Yes, Ma'am_' isn't that right?" he said sweeping passed her with a smirk on his face.  
  
Kagome turned toward him, face red from both anger and embarrassment, ready to throw out some comment, but had lost all words when she saw the crime tape blocking off a dark alleyway. He had stopped at the tape and she walked up next to him, both looking down the narrow space.  
  
Kagome pulled a small flashlight from the pouch of her hoodie as he did the same from the inner pocket of his jacket. He pulled the tape up for her to be able to sneak under and he followed suit. The body had been removed earlier that day, probably off to the long chill in HQ morgue.  
  
"Forensics probably did the best search they could. But maybe they missed something. Maybe they were being so scientific with the body they didn't put the whole picture together," Inuyasha said.  
  
Kagome agreed by making a small sound in her throat like an "Unnn." She had gone into Agent-Mode this time. Her eyes, looking almost vacant, scanned the area around the scene came up with nothing than set to work examining where they body had lain. "She was dragged over here," Kagome said. "See how the dirt smudges over there. She was probably strangled over there by the wall, and then dragged over here. But why?"  
  
Inuyasha was examining the place Kagome had just pointed to against the wall while Kagome continued to look at the area the girl was found. She moved her flashlight away from the scene when something caught her eye. Not in the light, but in the dark. "Inuyasha!" she called. He ran over to her.  
  
"Find something, Kagome?" he asked shining his light on the scene.  
  
"Taisho! Put out your light!" she ordered as she did the same.  
  
"What the fuck is that?" Inuyasha asked, narrowing his eyes in the dirt.  
  
"A tag," Kagome answered. In the dirt, where the girl's back had lain, a small drawing had been made with what looked like glow in the dark paint. "It was made with something that only glows after light hits it, that's why forensics missed it during the day."  
  
"It looks like a bug of some sort. Beetle maybe?" Inuyasha suggested.  
  
"I think it's a spider," Kagome answered. "Whatever it is, it means this guy's playing around with us. Seeing if we can catch onto his tags. He wants to take credit for this. Myouga was right. This is a serial murderer and I wouldn't doubt if it happens again, soon." Her face was hard and her eyes were showing no emotion in the dim light from the streetlamps.  
  
"Kagome?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm?" she mumbled, still staring at the tag.  
  
"We'll catch him. You know that, right? Not only him, but the guy who's responsible for Onegawa," Inuyasha said, touching her shoulder. Kagome relaxed, for they had found something after all, and looked towards Inuyasha.  
  
He nodded towards her, "Come on, I'll drive you home. It's getting pretty late and the streets of D.C. aren't safe," he saw her bristle, "even for two agents that can handle _themselves_." She nodded and stood up.  
  
"Besides, you need a rest from being Robot Agent girl," he said with a smirk.  
  
"Excuse me, Taisho?" Kagome asked narrowing her eyes. "If it weren't for me being 'Robot Agent' _girl_, we wouldn't have found the murderer's tag giving us the edge over the other units!"  
  
"Yeah, I kind of got that, Higurashi," he said darkly.  
  
"What, exactly, does that mean?" she asked hotly.  
  
"It means you never show any emotion for your job except anger or annoyance. You only show anything _else_ when you feel you've one-upped another agent. I've been with you for most of the day and I've seen you laugh, really laugh, maybe twice. There are other things to a job besides the rulebook. It's ok to have fun!" he shot at her.  
  
"Like you know anything about me, Taisho," she spat out. "I'll have you know that before my partner was killed, practically in _front_ of me, that I laughed at the office more. Sorry, if I'm not a bubbly little cheerleader for you. This is my job that's on the line, too. This is the time to be serious, not acting like an ass. As for you, you're right; you've only been around me for today. You know absolutely nothing about me!"  
  
"I know that you're an uptight bitch, too afraid to live life for fear of losing it!" he yelled back at her.  
  
They were now practically screaming at each other in the alleyway. Kagome's eyes were bright with anger, the flush from before creeping across her cheeks, and she took shallow breaths.  
  
Her face began to darken when she thought of a retaliation, "I'm the uptight bitch? At least I'm not an arrogant jerk that couldn't hack it as an agent the first time around!"  
  
He loomed close to her, "You're right! I thought you had a real fire for this sort of thing, but now I see you never really did. Unlike you I felt passion for what I was studying and that scared the big boys!"  
  
"I feel passion!" she screamed back at him.  
  
"You wouldn't feel passion if it slammed you in the face!" he yelled and with that pulled her to him, crashing his lips down on hers. Her eyes widened and she gasped allowing him to slip his tongue in to taste her. Her anger forgotten and her mind in temporary shock, her body betrayed her original plan to be professional and responded to his.  
  
She tasted like ginger and he gently probed her mouth, seeking her tongue out to meet his. Kagome's eyes slid shut as she fell into the kiss and she reached her arms up to link behind his neck. One of Inuyasha's arms slid around her waist, while the other slid up her back, his hand entwining into her hair. Kagome grew bolder and responded to the kiss, reaching her tongue out to meet his. Their kiss was slow and wanting, and Kagome could feel his need as well as her own.  
  
Inuyasha pulled his hand around to cup her face and ended their kiss, placing a short chaste kiss in its wake. Her stormy blue eyes were shining and he could see a faint blush touching her cheeks. Her lips had swollen slightly from his attentions and her breath came low and shallow.  
  
He stepped away from her, breaking their contact, "I'm sorry, Kagome. I... don't really know what just happened."  
  
She didn't say a word. _Couldn't_ say a word back to him, just stood there after feeling the best thing she had ever experienced.  
  
"Come on, I'll drop you back at your apartment," he said, turning to walk back to his motorcycle.  
  
_What?!_ Her mind screamed. _Did he not just feel that?  
_  
Her mind was reeling from questions, questions her mind could not come to ask. But mostly she asked herself how this would change them working together. She had never done anything like that before. Never. She didn't date agents in the unit. She didn't date agents _outside_ the unit! Let alone kiss them. _But he kissed you_, her brain reminded her.  
  
Kagome was just too tired to process any of this. It had been an awfully long day. She walked back to Inuyasha's motorcycle and saw that he was already on and it was already revving. She got on and linked her arms around his waist again, placed her cheek against his back again, and willed herself not to cry.  
  
When they reached her apartment she got off and Inuyasha raised his visor, "I'll wait for you to get inside, Kagome, to know you're safe." He looked at her then and she could've sworn she saw desire flash across his eyes. She nodded and headed for her building pausing only once at the doorway to look back at him. She raced upstairs, tears falling from her eyes, tears caused by frustration, exhaustion, and not knowing what the hell just happened. She got into her apartment turning on the lights and went over to the window to see if he had gone. She saw him looking up at her window. He gave a short wave, slammed his visor down, and screamed down the road.  
  
"What the _fuck_ just happened?" Kagome asked herself as she made her way to the couch. She put her had back and stretched out, her hand brushing something silky. Looking down she saw Inuyasha's tie he had taken off earlier. _Oh yeah, that'll look just great bringing to HQ tomorrow!  
_  
She cleaned up the Chinese food they had rushed out on earlier and straightened her apartment up before heading off to bed. After changing back into her pj's, she hopped into bed and set her alarm for the morning. Lying down her thoughts drifted to whatever happened back at the alleyway. She felt herself blush slightly at the memory of his lips, soft, yet firm against her own. The want, the need, and the desire he had for her, seemingly out of nowhere. She shook her head of those thoughts and closed her eyes; sleep overcoming her.  
  
She had to watch it, or before she would know it she'd be falling for Inuyasha Taisho.  
  
--- ---- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ----- ----- -- - - - -- -- ---  
  
Well, that's it for Chapter 4! I hope no one's offended that I made one of the victims Kikyou but she fits into the story plot along the line somewhere... just not into Inu's past. I've really taken a liking to writing this story. Read and review! Let me know what you think! B.I.G. 


	5. Chapter 5

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: I heart this story! I don't know why! I don't know where it's going! But I love it! I know Inu's a little OOC but whatchya gonna do? I think it's working. So here's Ch. 5! Already! I think I'm obsessed :-( I need to go to Inuyasha Anonymous :-) Anyway... so yeah, the story!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Inu and Co.  
  
**Chapter 5  
**  
Kagome was at the office extremely early the next morning for two reasons. One, she wanted to show Inuyasha that last night had not effected her and she could still be an adult, and two, she wanted to put his tie on his desk before anyone could get there and see her give it to him, thus negating her first reason to look like an adult.  
  
She sat down at her desk and pulled up the program Houjou had created on her computer. _As long as I'm here early I might as well spend some time looking through these files.  
_  
She skimmed through a few of the files looking for something that would stand out. She checked her watch and saw she had been sifting through the program for a little over an hour. She looked up from her cubicle and saw that others had started to drift into the office.  
  
Kagome leaned her forehead on the palm of her hand wishing she had stopped for at least a cup of coffee this morning when someone cleared their throat to her left. Turning she saw Inuyasha standing in her cubicle doorway with a coffee carrier in his hand. He had a sheepish look on his face, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  
  
"Peace offering," he said while setting a cup on her desk. "I didn't know what you liked so I just got a double shot latte."  
  
Smiling she said, "You're my savior!" Taking a sip of the coffee she watched him turn and move to his desk. He saw the tie and smirked. Glancing at her he said, "Thanks." She saluted him with her cup in hand and turned back to the computer. _Back to normal_, she thought.  
  
"Oh, Higurashi?" Inuyasha called from his desk.  
  
"Taisho?" Kagome called back.  
  
"I was thinking of the Shirakawa case and how we found the tag. I was wondering if a similar tag was made at the sight of the Yukari homicide," he said walking back over to her hub.  
  
"Oh. I don't know. I brought the file with me this morning. You still have the Shirakawa file?" she asked.  
  
He nodded and pointed over to his desk. Kagome glanced through the file and then looked at the pictures to see if they had gotten an image of a tag.  
  
"They didn't capture an image of a tag, but that doesn't mean it's not there," she told him. "I wonder if the tag would remain after a certain amount of time? Wanna go check it out?"  
  
"Definitely. I'll head down to OPS and see if I can get an infrared light so we can scan the sight," he responded. "Want to meet me in the parking lot in fifteen?"  
  
"I'll meet you by my Jeep," she said gathering her things together. "I'm driving this time and no 'buts' we both need to return to the office alive and well so I can kick your ass in PT remember?"  
  
He could tell she was smirking despite the fact he couldn't see her face. "Oh yeah, I remember. I promised I'd let you win in a spar."  
  
As Kagome whirled around to respond she saw he was already down the aisle of cubicles on his way to OPS. She watched him turn and wink at her before he walked out of sight.  
  
Kagome made a noise close to a growl, grabbed her briefcase, latte, and keys, and headed across the office to talk to Sango before she left.  
  
When she reached her and Miroku's hub Sango looked up at her, "Oh! You brought me coffee! I knew you were my favorite friend!"  
  
"Actually, Inuyasha brought me a latte this morning, and I would hope I'm your favorite friend anyway!" Kagome joked.  
  
"He brought you coffee? See? What did I say? He's not as bad as the Academy days, right?" Sango asked cheerfully. Kagome rolled her eyes, "Oh, he's still an arrogant jerk. But I can handle him."  
  
Their conversation, or rather their subject of conversation, caused Miroku to walk over to the two.  
  
"Taisho and you making nicey-nice?" he asked. Sango elbowed him from her seat, nailing him right in the hip. "Ow! No need to be rough. Just asking a simple question. Just coming in Kagome?"  
  
"Actually, no, I've been here since seven. Taisho and I are actually heading out to the Yukari sight. We think we may have a lead. Where to? I have no idea. But I guess we'll just have to enjoy the ride," Kagome said, while Miroku and Sango exchanged a look. "Don't even say it, Houshi!" Sango warned.  
  
Miroku raised his hands defensively, "I wasn't going to! Besides, you know you were thinking it, too!"  
  
Kagome shot him a glare, "Anyway, I better be off. Inuyasha is supposed to meet me at my car in a few and I want to stop in and tell the Lieutenant where we're headed."  
  
"Sure, Kagome. I'll see you later. Maybe we could all meet for lunch later," Sango suggested.  
  
"Yeah!" agreed Miroku, "Except not at the cafeteria today. If I have to eat one more sandwich from Ray's I'm gonna be sick!"  
  
"Well, if you made your own lunch once in awhile, Houshi, you wouldn't have to rely on a poor old man!" Sango snapped at him.  
  
"You could make my lunch, dear heart," he answered and quickly stepping out of her reach as she swung at him.  
  
Kagome laughed at the two and turned to stop at Myouga's office. Miroku stopped dodging Sango and looked at her serious for a moment. "Sango, did you notice she called him, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Now that you mention it, it did sound odd to me," Sango said.  
  
"Maybe our Kagome is actually opening herself up to someone," Miroku pondered, rubbing his chin.  
  
Sango sighed, "I hope so, Houshi. She needs to start trusting someone after Houjou. You know they had that whole unspoken attraction between them but neither acted upon it, and then when he was killed she felt guilty. Still does, I'm sure."  
  
"Yeah, I know. She's completely walled off her emotions. She's even different with us now," Miroku said, frowning a bit.  
  
They stopped their conversation when Kagome emerged from Myouga's office and walked out of the office.  
  
Kagome got out to her car to see Inuyasha already leaning against the back hatch.  
  
"Took you long enough, Higurashi," he said. He was holding a black case, not much larger than a regular briefcase. Kagome guessed that was the infrared light.  
  
"Some of us feel it necessary to let the Lieutenant know where we're headed, Taisho," she shot back along with a glare. She swept by him to unlock the passenger door for him.  
  
"Wow, a lady unlocking the door for a guy. That's something you don't see everyday," Inuyasha joked. Kagome visibly blushed.  
  
"Sorry, habit I guess. I feel better when my passenger is in safely first," she replied. Once inside the car he reached over and unlocked her door from the inside. Getting in she glanced at him, "Thanks."  
  
"No, problem," he responded, placing the case he was carrying at his feet.  
  
She pulled out of the lot and started driving to the sight silently. Inuyasha glanced over at her.  
  
"Higurashi?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"About last night," he started.  
  
Kagome interrupted, "No worries, Taisho. It was a long day yesterday; we both had been through a lot. No harm, no foul."  
  
"Oh," he said, turning to look out the window. "Yeah, you're right."  
  
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "Besides, it was flattering."  
  
He smirked, "Yeah, well you know... anyone should be so lucky. I _am_ Inuyasha Taisho."  
  
She visibly rolled her eyes, her anger rising, "That, and you _are_ the biggest asshole."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her, "Bitch."  
  
"Takes one to know one, Taisho," she said smiling.  
  
"Did you just call me a bitch, Higurashi?" Inuyasha laughed out. His laughter caused her to giggle slightly. "You called me a bitch!"  
  
"Yeah, I did!" she laughed. "Oh! I almost forgot. Taijiya and Houshi want to have lunch with us. That is, if you don't have plans."  
  
"Well, let me check my schedule," he said as he pretended to pull out a planner, "Bitch, bitch, bitch, lunch, bitch, bitch, tea, bitch, bitch... yep! I'm free!"  
  
She smacked him on his arm playfully, "Jerk. Hey! We're almost there."  
  
She pulled up outside the right address. The file said Yukari was slain in an alleyway just like the latest killing, but it was hardly an alleyway. They walked down a narrow passage that opened up into a courtyard behind the buildings.  
  
"She was shot _and_ raped back here but _no one_ saw from any of these buildings?" Inuyasha asked. "I can't believe that. This whole thing just isn't right."  
  
"I agree. What if he moved her here right after he shot her?" Kagome suggested.  
  
"It's possible. I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility," Inuyasha replied, scanning the area for any evidence. "Forensics cleaned this one up nicely. I don't see any remnants."  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha walked over to wear the body had been found. Setting down the case, Inuyasha pulled out the special equipment. "If there's anything here, this should find it, the guy in OPS was overly confident about 'his baby'."  
  
Kagome nodded, "Start towards the upper torso. That's where the other one had been found." He turned on the light and a small drawing of a spider immediately appeared exactly in the same spot as the last victim. They looked at each other and nodded. It was confirmed. The two latest killings were related to each other. Now the question remained if the original shootings would have the same markings. Kagome pulled out her cell and made a quick call into HQ. When she got off she explained to Inuyasha that another team would be heading out to the sight of another shooting to see if their was also a tag there. If not, then they definitely had two killers on their hands.  
  
They packed up the gear and headed back to the car. Once inside Inuyasha turned to Kagome, "They won't find a tag."  
  
"How do you know?" she asked, starting the car up and heading back to headquarters.  
  
"I just know. Got a feeling, ya know? Can't ignore it," he said, staring out the front windshield. "You ever get that?"  
  
"What?" she questioned.  
  
"That feeling that you can't ignore?" he asked, turning towards her, his amber eyes shaded with an intensity she had never seen before. She shivered and hoped he hadn't seen. He had.  
  
"I'm not sure," she responded, a bit shakily.  
  
"What do you mean you're not sure? You either have or you haven't, Higurashi," he said turning back to look out the front window. He put both hands behind his head and leaned back, "Trust me, you'll know when you have. And you won't be able to ignore it."  
  
------ ------ ------ -------- ------- -- -- -------- ------- ------- ------- - ------- ------ ------- When they got back to the office, they were barely at their desks for five minutes before Miroku and Sango appeared asking about lunch.  
  
"Taisho," Miroku said with that all too male head nod.  
  
"Houshi," Inuyasha responded back with the same gesture.  
  
Sango rolled her eyes at the display of male pride, "Kagome, we were wondering if you two were up for lunch?"  
  
"Oh, right now? I wanted to enter a few files into a program on the computer real quick and I..." she began to protest to leaving that very moment.  
  
"Come on, Higurashi. No harm, no foul. Remember?" Inuyasha said. Kagome blushed visibly and Sango and Miroku looked at each other before raising eyebrows at the two.  
  
"You know? Lunch sounds great!" Kagome said with a big smile that looked a little too big. _She's hiding something_, Miroku and Sango thought at the same time.  
  
"But _not_ at the cafeteria!" Miroku exclaimed.  
  
"That bad?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"You have _no_ idea!" all three of the other agents exclaimed, causing Inuyasha to laugh.  
  
They decided to run out to a little café only a block away from headquarters. Once they ordered, Miroku and Sango set out to question Inuyasha as "the new guy."  
  
"So, what have you been up to since we knew you as rookies?" Sango asked with a smile.  
  
"Practically the same thing. I was still part of the field training unit as an instructor for the last three years, and then for the last year I was a hand-to-hand combat instructor," he explained. Kagome gulped at the 'combat' part. _How am I supposed to beat his ass at PT later?  
_  
"Any fine ladies come out of the Academy in the past few years?" Miroku asked, not even finishing his thought completely before Sango smacked him upside the head. "Ow! Hey! Ya know I could put in for a new partner, ya know!"  
  
"Yeah, but you wouldn't dare 'cause you know I'd kick your ass," Sango said as calmly as she would have said 'pass the sugar'. The two started bickering, completely ignoring the presence of the two other agents.  
  
Inuyasha leaned close to Kagome and whispered, "Are they always like this?"  
  
His breath had tickled her ear and she shivered before answering, "They used to be a lot worse!"  
  
"Is that possible?" Inuyasha wondered.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Back at the Academy Houshi was always trying to get into Sango's pants," Kagome laughed. "Those days Houshi always had a _much _bigger lump on his head."  
  
"What happened?" he asked turning to look at Kagome.  
  
"They were assigned together as partners," she answered looking at him as though the answer was obvious.  
  
"So, what's the problem?" he inquired. Kagome stiffened, turning a slight shade of red, either out of embarrassment or anger.  
  
"The problem is, Taisho, that this is a job, and involvement would complicate the work environment," she tried to say as calmly as possible.  
  
"Yeah, but if there's something there, sometimes it can be far worse to ignore it!" he said raising his voice at her.  
  
"You would know, wouldn't you, Taisho?" she asked turning in a huff and crossing her arms.  
  
"What is _that _supposed to mean, Higurashi?" he bellowed. She turned, ready to fire back, when she saw Sango and Miroku had stopped their squabbling and were staring at the two of them. She nudged Inuyasha with her elbow causing him to turn back ready to do the same thing, only to see the two staring at them as well.  
  
"Sorry, guys," Kagome said, looking down at her hands twisting in her lap. _Hands that should be twisting around Taisho's neck!  
_  
"Sorry," Inuyasha mumbled.  
  
Miroku and Sango laughed nervously. "Well, you two kind of sound like us, that's all," Sango said, covering the fact that they had definitely heard _something _in that little outburst.  
  
The rest of lunch went smoothly, without much bickering, and the conversations tended to focus on Inuyasha: what he thought of working in the unit, what he thought of working with Kagome, what he thought of the case they've been working on. Only occasionally would they ask about things outside of work. Miroku managed to find out that no, Inuyasha did not have a girlfriend, and Sango found out that he had a Husky named Fang, and Kagome, well Kagome tried to talk as little as possible to Inuyasha for the rest of lunch.  
  
After lunch Miroku and Sango said their goodbyes and went off to interview someone involved with their case, leaving Inuyasha and Kagome to walk back to the office on their own.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"Yes, Taisho," her tone of voice already clearly annoyed.  
  
"What _exactly _did you mean before?" he asked.  
  
"About what?" she wondered, although she knew perfectly well what he was talking about.  
  
"About me ignoring something that's there!" he exclaimed, raising his hands to the sky.  
  
"Oh, well... I," Kagome started and then stopped. What _did_ she mean? "I don't know."  
  
"What does that mean? You don't know? You wouldn't have said it if you didn't know!" he had started to raise his voice, which only provoked Kagome's anger.  
  
"I'm being honest! I don't know! Ok? It's about last night! One minute you're giving me the best kiss of my life and the next you're apologizing and storming off! I'm confused! What am I supposed to think?" she yelled at him. When she finished her outburst she covered her mouth and shut her eyes, wishing the last five minutes away.  
  
She opened her eyes to find Inuyasha very close to her. He reached forward and touched her arms. "I didn't think you enjoyed last night," he said softly, pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear that had fallen from her hairclip.  
  
"Well, I... it was..." she stammered. She could smell his cologne faintly, he smelled like rain in the springtime, and she loved it. She raised her hands to his chest. He leaned closer to her, his head dipping dangerously near her own. His lips barely brushing hers in the faintest whisper, and she felt her knees begin to weaken.  
  
"We can't," she barely whispered.  
  
"Can't or won't?" he asked her, and lowered his lips to meet hers. The kiss was sweet, slow, and chaste. Kagome felt lightheaded and not at all like herself, she was losing it, losing her control. She pushed him gently away.  
  
"No," she said lowering her head, her eyes shut tightly. She looked up to see him looking away from her, his amber gaze searching the distance, anger tracing his features. _Gods, he's gorgeous._  
  
"Not here, anyway," she said barely above a whisper. He turned his head toward her, a look of surprise on his face.  
  
"What?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes down on her.  
  
She looked up at him, stormy blue eyes filled with emotion, emotion she'd been bottling up for a while. "You said so yourself," she giggled at his confused expression. "When you feel it, it can't be ignored." _What am I saying??  
_  
His expression lightened, "What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying we should get to know each other outside of work. Not practically in front of security," she said smirking up at him. He looked around to see that they were, indeed, quite close to the front of the building.  
  
"Good point," he said stepping away from her.  
  
"Don't look so lost, Taisho. People will think you're losing it," she said walking away from him and towards headquarters.  
  
He looked after her for a moment, admiring the view, before catching up to her and heading back to the office.  
  
----- ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ------ ---- ------ ------- ----- ------ ---- ----------  
  
"Physical Training in five, Higurashi. You promised," Inuyasha said while hanging over her cubicle wall.  
  
Kagome had been putting the files into the program since they had gotten back from lunch, while Inuyasha wrote up the paperwork about the tags they had found at the homicide sights.  
  
"I've never seen a guy so excited for an ass-whooping before, Taisho," she said smirking up at him from her chair.  
  
"Well, I'm not like other guys am I?" he asked her, shooting her a grin.  
  
"I'll meet you in the rec room by the mats. Okay?" she suggested.  
  
"You got it," he said turning away from her. Stopping to call back over his shoulder he said, "Oh, and Higurashi?" She looked up at him. "Should I tie one hand behind my back to give you the advantage?" Just as she got up to yell at him he dashed out of the office. Looking down at her work with a scowl, she organized her desk as best she could, and headed for the locker room on the lower level.  
  
Once she had changed she made her way out to the rec room. Other agents were training as well, whether with non-lethal weapons, or hand to hand. She saw Inuyasha leaning against the brick wall by the exercise mats watching two male agents sparring with practice bars. He had his arms crossed over his FBI tee shirt and she noticed his well-defined chest the women at the Academy had drooled over. She saw he had braided his hair back as well, and had to admit that in sweats the man looked good.  
  
As she approached him he turned in her direction coming away from the wall. She wore the same uniform PT outfit but she was wearing mesh shorts instead of the sweats. He swept his eyes from her long legs up to her own eyes and then back down. She noticed and felt a faint blush cross her cheeks.  
  
"Taisho! My eyes are up here!" she said pointing to her face. "Not down my legs."  
  
"Just seeing what I have to work with here," Inuyasha smirked at her.  
  
"You ready to spar?" she asked.  
  
"Born ready," he said and they took their stance. They moved around each other in a circle before Inuyasha made a swipe at her. She dodged easily and swept his legs out from under him causing him to go down fast and hard. Boom! He clutched his side and a pained expression crossed his face.  
  
"Oh gods! Are you okay?" she said coming closer to him. He automatically swept out his leg and knocked her down next to him. Crossing his leg over her body and leaning up on his elbow.  
  
"I taught you, Higurashi! To keep your distance from an opponent that you've downed!" he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"You're right. I just like the odds a little evened out is all," she spat back at him throwing her own leg around his side and forcing him to his stomach and kneeling back on his lower back.  
  
He somehow twisted his body around and ended up flipping her onto her stomach, face planted onto the floor. He grabbed her arm and pulled it behind her back and leaned his own body down, trapping hers with it. They were both breathing hard now and Kagome could feel his breath on her neck.  
  
"I like these odds even better," he said and then leaned down closer to her. "Have dinner with me, tonight?"  
  
She could feel his lips barely touching her ear and her eyes widened as she heard his invitation. She bucked her hips up and rolled him off her, grabbing his left leg and twisting it over his own body, and shoving her own down on him. Her face was mere inches from his.  
  
"Why should I?" Kagome asked, her breath coming in shallow intakes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small group gathering to watch them spar.  
  
"Because," he said, lifting his arms up and flipping her over his head. He flipped himself over her and straddled her hips. They heard catcalls from the crowd and both briefly looked up at the agents gathered. A few were even placing bets on who would win. "Because I made you feel something," he said in a whisper.  
  
She reached her legs up behind his back and linked her ankles around his neck bringing him down to the mat and raising her self up, "Well, in that case, I think it's only fair that we should."  
  
"Good," Inuyasha managed to croak out with his air supply cut short. He was turning bright red now and he raised his hand up high, only to come down and slap the mat. Kagome released him, hearing a few groans from the crowd, some rejoicing for they had obviously bet on Kagome. She got up then offered him her hand and helped him stand.  
  
"I taught you well," Inuyasha smirked down at her. "Although I see you've acquired a few moves on your own. I bet your enemies wonder how you are in bed."  
  
"Like they'll ever know!" Kagome said, agitated by his innuendo.  
  
"I would hope not," he said frowning at her. She had to laugh at the face he was making.  
  
"Go shower," she said pushing him lightly.  
  
"Wait," he stopped her with a hand on her elbow. "Tonight, eight, I'll pick you up on my bike."  
  
He waited for her protest. It never came. "Seven-thirty," she said walking towards the women's locker room.  
  
He watched her disappear through the double doors and then turned himself only to see a group of male agents applauding him from the other side of rec room. Shaking his head and chuckling lightly he walked towards his own locker room. _Seven-thirty then.  
  
_----- ----- ----- ---- ----- ------- -------- ------- --------- ------------ -------- --------- ---------  
  
Hey y'all! Hope you like Chapter 5! I enjoyed writing this one. Hope you like it too! Thanks to the readers so far! I'm so happy when I read your reviews! Almost every time I see them I set to work on a new chapter! So there's a hint! Keep reviewing and I'll keep updating! (Given I'd probably update without any reviews because I want to see where this story is going too! -) Anyways! Hope you liked! R & R! B.I.G. 


	6. Chapter 6

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Hey guys! I'm having so much fun with this story! I hope y'all are liking it too! Anyways, here's Chapter 6. This story can't write itself fast enough!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu & Co.  
  
**Chapter 6**  
  
_What am I doing?_ Kagome thought as she drove back to her apartment. _I've completely lost my mind. First Inuyasha kisses me, which I didn't mind so much. Then he kissed me again,_ also _which I didn't mind that much. Now I'm going to dinner with him?? Kami!  
_  
Kagome groaned, "I have definitely crossed a line somewhere."  
  
She berated herself all the way into her apartment and all the way to her bedroom when she gasped, "WHAT AM I GONNA WEAR TONIGHT?!"  
  
She quickly set to pulling clothes out of her closet and throwing them on the bed.  
  
"Inuyasha never told me how to dress. Should I go casual? Dressy? Dressy casual? What in the hell is 'dressy casual' anyway? Why am I talking to myself??" Kagome exclaimed. _Oh man, if he's got me talking to myself I've completely lost it.  
_  
As she was looking through clothes she'd pulled out her phone rang.  
  
"Hello? Oh, hi mom. Good, good. Work's good, too. Yep, their fine. You know Miroku and Sango they never change. Oh, well yeah I was assigned a new partner," she said with a frown. _How do mothers do that?_ "Inuyasha Taisho. No, mom I don't know what country his 'people' are from," she rolled her eyes, "Actually, we're grabbing some dinner tonight so I should probably run. Yeah, mom, dressy casual, got it. I love you, too. Bye mom." _What IS dressy casual?  
_  
----- ------ ------- ------- ------- ------  
  
Before Kagome knew it seven-thirty had rolled around and her doorbell was ringing. She gave herself the once over in the mirror before dashing to the door. Taking one last deep breath she opened the door.  
  
Inuyasha had apparently gotten bored waiting for her to open the door so he had his back turned towards her and was checking out her apartment building. When he turned back around Kagome forgot to breathe. He looked amazing. He had finally let his hair down and it hung in silver waves down his back. He wore a black ribbed sweater that fit him _perfectly_ and Kagome could see that the position of field-trainer had done his body good! His black slacks finished up the look. He looked perfect.  
  
As she stared at Inuyasha, he was staring at her. Her hair had been freed from the accursed hairclip from work and fell in beautiful waves framing her face. She was wearing a dark green sheer blouse over a black camisole and black-hosed legs reached up high under a black skirt that ended at her mid thigh. _She looks beautiful_.  
  
"You look beautiful," he said, his mouth gone dry from the sight before him.  
  
"Thank you," she said her eyes going to the floor. "You don't look so bad yourself."  
  
He smirked and extended his hand, "This is for you." She looked up to see him holding a white rose.  
  
"Oh! Thank you. Let me go put it in water real quick," she said waving him into the apartment. He leaned against the wall of the kitchen watching her grab a small vase and filling it with water. When she turned around she caught his amber gaze on her and this time she was not confused by the glimmer in his eye. It most definitely was desire. For some reason she didn't feel uncomfortable under the heat of his gaze and as she walked over to grab a leather jacket she actually swung her hips, teasing him.  
  
"Leather, Kagome? That's hot, ya know that?" he asked her.  
  
She laughed lightly, put her jacket on, and grabbed her bag before they headed out the door. When they got down to his motorcycle he turned and asked her, "You okay with getting on? I mean you _are_ wearing a skirt."  
  
"I'll manage," was all she said as she swept by him and placed her purse in the saddlebag. "Just as long as you promise to help smooth my hair when we get there."  
  
He swung his leg around on the bike, put his helmet on, and turned the engine over and turned to get a glimpse of her getting on. She moved the helmet so all he got was a good look at the street and then straddled the motorcycle behind him, making sure her skirt didn't ride up too much.  
  
She linked her arms around his waist and pressed her body to his back noticing his intake of breath before they took off for wherever he was taking her. She enjoyed the ride like last time and soon found that they were stopping outside a quaint little restaurant. She got off the motorcycle, her hands moving quickly up to her hair. _I should've brought a hair tie.  
_  
She looked up to find Inuyasha standing before her. He lifted his hands up to stroke a few strands of hair. "It looks beautiful, Kagome. You shouldn't worry," he said before tucking a loose strand behind her ear. It reminded her of last night in the alleyway. _Was it really just last night? It seems millennia ago.  
_  
"So, let's go inside. I love this place! People inside are nice, too," he said. They went inside and got a table. Kagome looked around. She had never even knew this place existed, so how did he know it was here?  
  
"Inuyasha, I thought you just moved here. How did you know about this place?" Kagome asked and shot him an incredulous look.  
  
"Like I said last night, my brother's in the Senate. We used to meet for dinner every once in awhile before he became super important," he said, not looking at her. She didn't want to probe right away and was thankful when the waitress came over for their order. Inuyasha even ordered a bottle of wine for the two of them.  
  
"Were you close then?" she asked.  
  
"My brother and I? A long time ago. Not anymore. We moved around a lot, didn't have a lot of friends, only had each other really," he said playing with his water glass.  
  
Kagome's heart went out to him. She had a good amount of friends growing up and she couldn't even imagine getting through the Academy without Sango. "If you don't mind me asking... why aren't you two close anymore?"  
  
Inuyasha's face darkened, "I wasn't good enough for the family."  
  
"I don't understand," she said reaching her hand out to touch him. He pulled away from her reach and her face showed her surprise at his sudden gruffness.  
  
"Don't you see? Until recently I was just an instructor. Not an officer in the Army like my dad, not an all mighty Senator. I was a half-breed to them, something in between boy and man," he spat out the world 'half-breed' with a snarl.  
  
"Inuyasha? Look at me," Kagome said softly. He lifted his head and she could see he was scowling and his eyes were full of hatred, anger, and underneath that: hurt. Kagome smoothed out the scowl from his brow with her hand and then brought it down to cup his face. "You're not a half-breed, Inuyasha. They have no right to make you feel like that, and if it's any consolation, all I see in front of me is a man. Strong and intelligent and nice, even if you are an arrogant jerk at times."  
  
He gave her a small smile at this. He took her hand from his cheek and gave it a small kiss, "I'm sorry, Kagome. You wanted to get to know me and here I am spilling out my family problems onto you."  
  
"We all have them Inuyasha. Try having a grandfather who thinks he can cast protection wards around the house to keep out evil demons. Or a little brother going through the first stages of puberty where even the smallest hair on his chin gets a coming out party," Kagome said smiling at him.  
  
"You think I'll be invited to the party for the mustache?" Inuyasha joked and Kagome laughed.  
  
Dinner carried on much the same way. They joked with each other, even bickered a few times over what types of movies they liked or over who had the weirder brother. Most of all, they enjoyed each other's company and found they had quite a bit in common after all. They both read some of the same authors (ones mostly who wrote mystery or horror) and both enjoyed going to the shore. Inuyasha learned that Kagome had a family cat named Buyo and she learned that he went to visit his great-aunt, Kaede, a lot during his free time.  
  
Inuyasha paid for dinner after the protests of Kagome had finally ceased and they left the restaurant. Kagome feeling a little heady from the wine or just the night in general, was bold enough to capture Inuyasha's hand as they walked to the motorcycle.  
  
Looking down at her Inuyasha asked, "Ever been to the Reflecting Pool at night, Kagome?"  
  
"Uh-uh," she answered looking up into his eyes.  
  
"Well then, let's go," he said pulling her over to his bike.  
  
Inuyasha could've driven all night if it meant that Kagome would cling to him like she did. He could feel her breasts pressing against his back as they rode along and her fingers were making small circular patterns on his stomach.  
  
He parked the motorcycle on the road that ran along the Pool and expected Kagome to get up right away. When she didn't he removed the helmet and looked back at her over his shoulder. She had her cheek pressed to his back but he could see she had this dreamy look in her eyes and was looking off into nowhere.  
  
"Kagome? Want to go for a walk?" he called over his shoulder.  
  
"Can we just sit here like this for a few minutes?" she asked him, scooting closer to him and placing her chin on his shoulder.  
  
Instead of answering her he turned and placed a soft kiss on her temple and turned back to appreciate the park.  
  
She sighed gently and her warm breath caressed his ear sending a shiver down his spine. Gods, how he wanted to kiss her again! It had been like heaven before, soft and warm.  
  
"Ok, Inuyasha. I think a walk sounds nice now," she said getting up slowly from the motorcycle and he followed suit. He reached down and took her hand as they walked.  
  
"There's no moon out tonight, Inuyasha," Kagome observed. "Must be the new moon," he said gazing at her, "You know, a lot of crazies come out on the new moon."  
  
"I thought that was during a full moon?" Kagome asked smirking up at him.  
  
"You'd think that, sure, but the new moon makes it darker out. Scary things come out then," he said forming his free hand into a claw and looming over her. She giggled and pulled free from him.  
  
"Oh, but Inuyasha! Who would save me from the scary things in the park?" she giggled and started to run away from him.  
  
He took off after her as she disappeared into the trees. She giggled every once in awhile and he didn't know if it was from the chase or the wine from dinner.  
  
"You forget, Higurashi, that agents are supposed to be excellent trackers," he said smiling. He was enjoying this. Enjoying that she was beginning to loosen up and trust him enough to let him take her out to dinner.  
  
A small giggle was let out just up ahead and he made his way stealthily to the tree she was hiding behind. She couldn't believe she was playing hide and go seek and giggling like a little schoolgirl. But she was having fun again. Something she hadn't done in awhile.  
  
She hadn't heard him plunging through the darkness for a few moments and she chanced a peek around the tree just as he pounced at her. Kagome shrieked as he grabbed her and then began laughing. Not just the tiny giggles she had been letting out throughout the day, full-blown laughter that reached her eyes and made them sparkle.  
  
Once she calmed down she saw Inuyasha wasn't laughing although he was smiling faintly. He was watching her enjoy the game and in turn was enjoying her carefree laughter. But seeing his gaze caused the laughter to die in her throat.  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered. He moved one hand from her arm and smoothed her lower lip. She had flushed from the chase and her eyes were bright from excitement.  
  
"You're so beautiful, Kagome," he whispered before he lowered his lips to meet her own. The kiss started out as innocent as the one earlier that afternoon, but soon Kagome felt Inuyasha's tongue lick her bottom lip begging for entrance. She sighed and opened her mouth for him meeting his tongue with hers. He tasted faintly of the wine they had earlier and a bit like peppermint. She wanted to taste more, _needed_ to taste more. She reached her arm out and found his waist, pulling him closer to her as she deepened the kiss.  
  
He needed no further invitation for he felt a need for her as well, if not more. He fisted a hand into her hair at the nape of her neck and moved her head slightly to give him more access. His other hand went around her waist and held her to him even tighter. She felt him then, pressing lightly into the softness of her tummy. Her eyes fluttered open and even with no moonlight she could see that he had flushed at some point during the kiss. She was no longer embarrassed that she could feel him. He wanted her, like no one had wanted her before. He wasn't afraid that she was strong by herself, if anything he challenged her to be stronger. _He wants me for me_.  
  
With that thought she slid her hand up behind his neck and pulled him even closer, pressing every inch of her body to his. She needed him, she wanted him, and she was no longer afraid to take him. _Fuck the rulebook_; she thought as she began kissing him more fiercely, delving her tongue into his mouth to touch every crevice, taste every corner, to be a part of him.  
  
He was pleasantly surprised when her kisses became more enthusiastic, though he never stopped to question her insistence. So, he slid his hand from her waist up to cup her breast through her blouse, and when he received no protest continued his ministrations. Gently squeezing, he heard her moan into his mouth, which proved to only excite him more.  
  
Feeling his excitement increase, Kagome was about to reach down and cup him when, "What do you two teenagers think you're doing?" yelled a cop shining a light into their faces.  
  
The two broke apart trying to regain a little pride, the two extremely flustered. After a few moments Inuyasha found his tongue first, "Officer, we're not teenagers. Actually," he said pulling out his wallet, "we're federal agents." He handed his ID to the cop. When the officer lowered his light to verify Inuyasha's identification Kagome acted quickly to smooth her outfit out and to fix her hair. Inuyasha saw her preening out of the corner of his eye and grabbed one of her hands.  
  
"And you miss?" the police officer asked.  
  
"Oh..." she didn't know how to answer. She had left her ID in her purse, which was now at the motorcycle, which was _gods_ knew where. What had she been thinking? She never went anywhere without her badge!  
  
"She left her badge back on my motorcycle. If you'd like to follow us back to where we parked we'd be happy to show you," Inuyasha saved her.  
  
The cop looked to Kagome who nodded enthusiastically and then back to Inuyasha who was smiling, "No, no. I guess it's all right. I mean you are government and all. Just so you should know though, the park closes at 9pm so you should probably be moving along before the crazies come out." Kagome giggled when he mentioned the _crazies_, for hadn't they caused her to begin the chase after all?  
  
"Thank you officer," Inuyasha squinted, "Hanley. You've been very kind, and we'll head on our way now." Inuyasha tugged on Kagome's hand to get her moving and they set off in the direction they had come running from. As soon as they were a safe distance away from Officer Hanley the two burst out into laughter.  
  
"Man! I haven't been caught making out with a girl by a cop since... well; I've never been caught making out with a girl by a cop!" Inuyasha laughed.  
  
"Did you see his face when you told him we were feds?" Kagome giggled. "He was like 'yeah right buddy and I'm the president!'"  
  
They laughed all the way back to the motorcycle. Standing next to their ride Inuyasha leaned down and kissed Kagome. It wasn't that long, it was actually quite simple, but Kagome loved it. It seemed so natural, so _right._  
  
"Hop on, I'll drive you home. You want the helmet? It's probably safer," he said holding out his helmet to her.  
  
She shook her head, "I like the feel of the wind through my hair. But thank you, Inuyasha. That was... sweet."  
  
He shrugged, pulling on the helmet and got onto the bike, and held out his hand to help her on. She rested herself against his back again, chin on his shoulder, and arms around his waist. He could feel a very intimate part of her pressing against him and thought, _She's lucky Officer Hanley came along when he did, otherwise I probably would've taken her right there in the woods_. He shook his head trying to expel the perverted thoughts that kept flying into his mind.  
  
Kagome herself was lost in thought. _Gods, I've never wanted someone as much as I want him. One minute he has me screaming AT him the next my body's screaming FOR him!  
_  
They made it back to her apartment soon enough and she got off reluctantly after giving him a squeeze.  
  
"Um, Inuyasha," _I can't believe I'm gonna do this_, "do you want to come upstairs?" she asked looking everywhere but at him. He got off the motorcycle and removed his helmet.  
  
He pulled her to him, "Gods, Kagome, I want to, _so_ badly. But do _you _want me to?"  
  
"I wouldn't have asked if," she began but he silenced her putting a finger to her mouth.  
  
"All I've heard for the last two days is how you go by the book and you stay professional. I don't want you to go against some moral code because I'm pushing you to," he said lifting her chin up so she would meet his eyes.  
  
"I," she began, "I'm confused, Inuyasha. You frustrate me so much. First, I'm yelling at you because you're a jerk, then I invite you inside because you're... well... you!"  
  
He chuckled at her and kissed her forehead, "Can I tell you something, Kagome?"  
  
She nodded. "I brought up your first day at field training back at the Academy yesterday, remember?" She nodded again.  
  
"I was waiting, just waiting, for someone to move on that line and it happened to be you. I looked up to see what good for nothing rookie had dared move when I hadn't ordered them to."  
  
She began frowning at him now. "Just wait, Kagome, I'll get there. So, I looked up to see these two beautiful blue eyes staring back at me like a deer caught in the headlights. But then you opened your mouth." Kagome cast her eyes down to the ground. _It was always because of my mouth. Always had to have the last say_, she thought.  
  
"And I felt like I had never heard a woman speak before," he finished. Her eyes shot up to his, wide with shock.  
  
"What?" she asked staring at him.  
  
"You were full of such life, this little spitfire that no one could extinguish. _No one_ had done that before or after, did you know that?" he asked her. She shook her head.  
  
"I want to find that Kagome again, the little hotheaded punk who couldn't wait to prove herself out on the field. When we find her, Kagome, when we find her, then we'll go upstairs," he pulled her close and gave her a chaste kiss. "Until then, we'll keep it professional in the office and get to know each other outside of the office. Deal?" She nodded one final time.  
  
She pulled away from him gently, "Thank you, Inuyasha, for a memorable evening."  
  
"Goodnight, Spitfire," he said smiling. She leaned into him once more, but instead of seeking out his mouth she leaned down to his neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss there.  
  
"Goodnight, Jerk," she said turning heel and heading into her building. She got up into her apartment and instead of turning on the lights right away went over to the window. Looking down she saw he was still there, waiting patiently to make sure she was all right. She waved to him and he saw her, despite the darkness. He waved back, smirking. Throwing on his helmet and starting his ride he drove off into the night.  
  
Kagome almost floated to her bedroom. She had had the best night. She had joked, bickered, made out, and had the prospect of more with Inuyasha Taisho. And she had enjoyed every moment of it. The world had gone crazy!  
  
She headed off to bed completely spent from the day and her thoughts once again traveled to the overly confident, sweet fool she had just spent the evening with.  
  
Inuyasha pulled up in front of his apartment building at about the same time Kagome was heading to bed. Running up to his door on a natural high, Inuyasha was thinking of his time alone with Kagome in the park. Stepping into his apartment he was greeted with a cold nose slipping into his hand.  
  
"Hey, boy. You been good tonight I hope," he said turning on the lights. "Got all the ladies out early before I got home?" He got down on one knee to scratch behind the Husky's ears. "She makes me crazy boy! She's feisty and smart, beautiful and totally sexy." The dog whined. "Exactly."  
  
Inuyasha walked to his bedroom and pulled his sweater off when he heard Fang bark in the living room.  
  
"Need to go out?" Inuyasha called and there was another bark. "Ok, ok, I'm coming." He pulled his sweater back on and went out to grab Fang's leash. Heading to the door he stopped when he saw a small envelope by the threshold. "Is that what you were barking at?"  
  
Inuyasha picked up the envelope and opened it up. After reading briefly his mouth dropped open. Somehow he managed to get to his couch and sat down the letter falling from his hand and floating to the floor. Fang walked over to his master and placed his head on his knee.  
  
Lying on the floor, forgotten for the moment lay a letter with a typed message:  
  
_Taisho,  
  
You have until the next new moon to close your case. You don't find me or I find her. If you scent me too closely I kill her. I walk free or Higurashi joins the others. No more fun for you in the alleys.  
_  
There was no signature, only a small insignia of a spider.  
  
"How can I solve this case and save her at the same time?" he asked the empty room.  
  
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Hey! Wow! I really liked this chapter! I hope you all do too! Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'll update soon I'm sure! Anyway R&R! B.I.G. 


	7. Chapter 7

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Thanks reviewers! You guys are so awesome! I had no idea how this would be received or what people like but I'm glad y'all are enjoying it! Well, here we go already. Chapter 7!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own Inu & Co. although if I save up enough you think I could buy them? Yeah, I didn't think so.  
  
**Chapter 7  
**  
When the alarm sounded Inuyasha groaned, rolled over, and slapped the stupid thing off the bedside table. He was in that state halfway between sleep and wake and he automatically thought of how his bed would seem much warmer in the mornings if Kagome were in it. That's when he shot up in bed.  
  
_Kagome! The letter!_ Sprinting out of bed, Inuyasha bolted into the shower and was out the door in less than fifteen minutes. He got halfway downstairs when he remembered he hadn't let Fang out that morning.  
  
"Kuso!" he cursed as he turned around. Ten _more_ minutes later he finally got down to his motorcycle, hopped on, and screamed off to the office.  
  
It was like some greater power was against him that morning. He hit morning traffic less than a block from his apartment, then got pulled over by a cop when he used the shoulder only to take ten minutes explaining that he was FBI, and then security stopped him for an unusually long pat down at the doors.  
  
"Guys, can we hurry this up? I got to get to Forensics this morning!" Inuyasha pleaded to the armed guards. When one waved him through he sprinted off down the hall. He burst into Forensics and scared a woman half to death that was sitting at a desk near the doorway.  
  
"Hey, I need this dusted for prints," he said pulling out a small zip-loc baggy. "Test it for chemicals, look for hairs, anything! I want to know everything about this, where it came from, who could've sent it, anything you can! Call me upstairs when it's ready."  
  
He scribbled his ID number and extension on a post-it for the woman and then booked it to the elevator. _I have to talk to Myouga about this_.  
  
When he got up into the office it was like walking into chaos. Every agent was buzzing around and a big group was clumped over by the lieutenant's office. Miroku, standing a bit taller than the other agents in the group, spotted him coming off the elevator.  
  
"Taisho! Over here," he called waving him over. Kagome and Sango turned when Houshi had called his name and Kagome visibly blushed at him, raising her hand to wave.  
  
"What is it Houshi?" he asked, waving back at Kagome.  
  
"It's all over the news, Taisho," Kagome said. "Another girl was taken last night, like Daughter Congressman."  
  
"What do you mean, 'like Daughter Congressman'?" he asked her, craning his neck to see what everyone was looking at. He could see a television mounted on the wall in the lieu's office. A CNN reporter talking in front of a huge crowd of press reporters was the image on the TV and the caption read, "Senator's daughter missing".  
  
"Inuyasha, you should probably know something," Kagome said quietly.  
  
"What Kagome?" he asked still trying to glimpse the report. The crowd of paparazzi started to break up, as it appeared they were making way for someone important.  
  
"The Senator, who's daughter is missing, he's," she tried to say shifting uncomfortably next to him.  
  
"Sesshoumaru," he nearly snarled. "Oh my, gods! Rin!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome said, a solitary tear falling down her cheek as she watched his realization set in.  
  
"NO! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! NO!" he screamed, causing the group of agents to turn and look at him. He had scared Kagome by his outburst. He turned around and threw the nearest thing he could find, which happened to be a file organizer on someone's desk. It hit another cubicle and fell apart, papers flying everywhere.  
  
"Taisho, calm down!" Miroku yelled at him trying to grab his arm, anything to stop him.  
  
"YOU HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA, HOUSHI!" he screamed at Miroku pushing him away. His face was bright red, his eyes dark with rage, and he had started breathing harder. Some male agents tried to restrain him but he flung them off as if they were nothing but paper dolls.  
  
Kagome didn't care that he was hysterical. After all she had taken down stronger opponents before and she had even won the spar with Inuyasha yesterday. But somehow Kagome knew the last thing Inuyasha needed right now was a fight. He was fighting enough with himself.  
  
She stepped towards him only to be stopped with a hand on her elbow.  
  
"No, Kagome, don't," Miroku warned.  
  
Her eyes never leaving Inuyasha she said, "Houshi let go of me." Her voice was calm. Eerily so, and she moved towards Inuyasha again. She reached her hand out to touch Inuyasha's back and she saw him flinch away from her touch. She didn't give up and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.  
  
"Inuyasha? I understand," she whispered softly to him. He broke down then, pulling slightly away from her and falling to his knees. She stepped to his side and he turned and buried his face into her stomach. She wrapped her arms around his head tightly and kept whispering softly to him.  
  
The other agents watched amazed at Kagome's bravery when they heard the TV, volume raised just enough so the bulk of the group could hear, "Senator Taisho! Senator Taisho! Any comment on the kidnapping? Do you have any enemies you could think of that would harm your daughter?" A reporter was hassling a tall man with long silver hair and amber eyes, his features softened in an effeminate way. A toad-like man, much shorter than the senator shoved his hand in front of the camera. "I'm sorry, but Senator Taisho has no comment to make at this time," the man croaked out.  
  
"Holy shit! It's his niece," Miroku said quietly after seeing the family resemblance between the two. Sango's face saddened and some of the agents made soft "oh" sounds of understanding. Sango looked up to see Inuyasha still huddled against Kagome and started breaking up the group of agents that were staring.  
  
Miroku walked over to Kagome and helped Inuyasha up. "Sorry, I pushed you, man," Inuyasha said looking down at his feet.  
  
"No worries, man. It's cool. Let's get you to the men's room. Clean you up," Miroku answered back.  
  
Miroku nodded at Kagome, assuring her they'd be ok, and then looked to the mess on the floor. "I got it, Houshi, thanks," Kagome said moving to pick up the papers that had been pushed from the desk.  
  
Miroku got Inuyasha to the men's room without any further incident and got a wet paper towel for his face. "Here man, you'll need this."  
  
"Thanks, Houshi," Inuyasha said, muffled through the paper towel. When he looked up Miroku had extended his hand, "Call me Miroku. I mean one hell of a shove deserves first name basis, don't you think?"  
  
"Inuyasha," he said shaking Miroku's hand. He looked in the mirror and scowled.  
  
"Hey man, we'll find her," Miroku said patting Inuyasha on the back.  
  
"It's the same, sick son of a bitch that Kagome and I are tracking," Inuyasha muttered, pounding his fist on the counter.  
  
"How do you know?" Miroku asked.  
  
"I just _know_," Inuyasha said through gritted teeth, he closed his eyes and wished the day had never started.  
  
They left the bathroom and headed back to the office. None of the agents looked at Inuyasha as he passed, just kept right on working as if nothing had transpired. He got to his desk, finally after the morning from hell, and saw a cup of coffee sitting on his desk. Kagome came over as he sat down and said, "I thought I could return the favor from yesterday. Although now you look like you need a nap more than anything else."  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome. Kinda lost my head back there," Inuyasha said looking at his lap.  
  
"Taisho, look at me," he raised his eyes to her own and saw hope there, "we'll get her back and nail this son of a bitch to the wall!" He gave her a small smile, forgetting the warning he had received last night about Kagome's involvement with the case.  
  
As if on cue his phone rang, "Taisho." He sat straight up when he realized it was Forensics on the other end. "I'll be right there."  
  
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked when he slammed the receiver down.  
  
"Uh, nothing. I just dropped something off at Forensics before, that I gotta go pick up," he said moving around her in the cubicle.  
  
"Want me to go with you?" she asked.  
  
"NO!" he yelled a little louder than he had wanted to. He cleared his throat, "No, it's probably better if you go through some more of those old cases. You know, for Onegawa."  
  
She frowned at him as he turned around and practically ran from the office. _That was weird. But he's right. Since we found that lead with the other two cases I've completely forgotten about Houjou's case.  
_  
_Yeah right, Kagome_, her brain rang out, _more like since Taisho kissed you, you completely forgot about Houjou_. Kagome felt a pang of guilt then. She had been thinking of Inuyasha more now that he was here. Was she betraying the memory of a slain partner? She nodded her head and once again set out determined to find the bastard behind Houjou's death.  
  
Inuyasha nearly sprinted passed Forensics and skidded to a stop in the hallway.  
  
"Taisho," he said to the woman he had scared earlier. She handed him a file, which he opened hastily. Inside was the zip-loc he had brought in before, containing the letter from last night. Behind that were several printouts saying the same thing: the letter was clean. The very last print out was a chemical analysis of the ink used to make the spider mark. It seemed the ink was not standard ink bought from any store. It was specially mixed. This ink was expensive, most likely, used for calligraphy normally. This guy had money. And that was something to go on.  
  
"Thanks," Inuyasha mumbled as he headed for the door still looking down at the file. He was concentrating on finding a store that specializes in mixing ink for special customers when he bumped into someone knocking them down and causing some of the printouts to fall to the floor.  
  
"Geez, Taisho, do you do that to all the ladies? Or just me?" Kagome said from the floor with a grimace.  
  
"Sorry, Kagome," he said reaching a hand down to help her up. She collected the papers he had dropped before extending her hand to him. She got up but stopped when she looked down at the printouts in her hand. Lying on top was a photocopy of the letter Inuyasha had received. Her eyes grew wider when she realized what she was reading.  
  
"What the hell is this?" she asked her face growing darker with anger.  
  
"It was slipped under my apartment door last night. I didn't want to tell you before I had it checked by Forensics in case they could come up with something," he said trying to reassure her.  
  
"Close this case by the new moon? That gives us less than a month! How did they know it was your apartment? How did they know about... you know," she asked her mind reeling with dozens of questions.  
  
"I have no idea, Kagome. Tracking us maybe, someone watching us. I don't even know if it's safe for us to talk here _or_ our apartments," he told her, clearly making her worry even more.  
  
"I don't understand. It was almost like he _wanted_ us to find him with the tags. Now he wants us to pin it on someone else or I'll... I'll... Oh gods! I need to sit down!" she said holding her head. "This is my first death threat, Inuyasha. I don't know whether to be scared or proud."  
  
"Higurashi," he said rolling his eyes. "You're safe. You know that? Even if we need to put you somewhere till I can catch this bastard, okay?"  
  
"Put me somewhere? Like hell you will! We're partners, Taisho! You're stuck with me, no ifs, ands, or buts!" Kagome said forgetting her weariness. "I'm gonna help put this S.O.B. down."  
  
He held her elbow and pulled her back towards the office when he realized she had been headed in the other direction, "Why were you down here anyway, Higurashi?"  
  
"Oh! Myouga called me into his office after you bolted," she gave him a side glare, "and told me he wants us to get info on... well... Taisho."  
  
"What?" he asked dropping his hold and looking at her.  
  
"Senator Taisho. He knows it would normally be a conflict of interest but he's not talking to anybody. Not police, not FBI. Myouga was hoping he'd talk to you," Kagome looked hopefully up at him.  
  
"Hell no. Sesshoumaru has a stick up his ass where it concerns me. He'll talk to the gods sooner than he'll talk to me," Inuyasha protested.  
  
"Please, Inuyasha?" Kagome put her arm through his and gave him this huge puppy dog look.  
  
"No!" he continued to protest.  
  
"You're the _only_ agent fit for the job! So big and strong and smart!" she said beaming at his side.  
  
He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "And you said you wouldn't be my cheerleader at work."  
  
She pulled away from him and smacked him on the arm, "Jerk!"  
  
"Does this mean I can get you a cute little uniform? Pom-poms and everything?" he asked smirking down at her.  
  
"Pervert," she said pushing him away from her as he laughed at her response.  
  
"Come on, Higurashi! I bet most of the agents would love to see you in a short, pleated skirt! Hell, we can make it green if you want to!" he said in between laughs.  
  
She walked up close to him and leaned on him like she had done the previous night only this time she whispered in his ear, "If you go and talk to your brother I promise to show you the pom-poms I already have."  
  
When she pulled away from him she saw he was blushing slightly. She turned quickly to walk away when she heard him call from behind her, "That's not fair, Higurashi!"  
  
She turned to him as he was catching up, "How is that not fair, Taisho?"  
  
"Well, for starters we made a deal we'd be professional in the office," he said in a hushed voice so no one passing by would hear, "and secondly, I would hope I'd get that privilege even if I _didn't_ talk to my brother!"  
  
"Well, that's the deal. Take it or leave it, Taisho," she said quickening her pace.  
  
"You know, Higurashi. Technically, we have to _leave_ the office to go talk to my brother," he said smirking at her.  
  
"I believe you may be correct, Taisho," she giggled.  
  
When they got back to the office Inuyasha dropped off the printouts he got from Forensics while Kagome grabbed her briefcase and coat.  
  
"I don't think my saddlebag can carry both our cases," Inuyasha commented on the way out of the office.  
  
"What a shame," she said. "We'll just have to take my Jeep."  
  
They got out to the lot and she was unlocking the passenger side door when he came up behind her and nuzzled her neck.  
  
"Inuyasha, we're barely out of HQ!" Kagome protested.  
  
"I know but you just look so 'X-Files' in that black trench coat! And _you're_ the one that started it inside!" he complained.  
  
She turned around and gave him a small kiss and before he could place his hands anywhere shoved the keys into them.  
  
He looked at her confused, "I don't understand."  
  
"It is your brother's house. You should know where he lives. Right?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inuyasha frowned at the prospect of actually having to talk to Sesshoumaru, but after Kagome gave him another soft kiss he conceded to drive there.  
  
_I just hope we can find Rin_, Inuyasha thought as they pulled out of headquarters.  
  
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- ------- -------- --------  
  
Well, there's Chapter 7! I know it's shorter than the others have been lately but I have to go to my niece's 6th birthday party today and wanted to post something because reviewers have been so grand! Hope you enjoy! Read and Review! B.I.G. 


	8. Chapter 8

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: So my updates will probably be slowing down for the next few days, it's gonna be a busy week. I thought I should let faithful readers know in advance that I'll be going away on the 27th of June and won't be back till July 5th. But, I will be bringing a notebook with me and I plan on writing a bit during my free time. So who knows? I may come back with a few chapters to update with. Anyway, I'll try to get the story moving along as far as possible before I leave. Because, honestly, I want to know what's going to happen next as much as you do! So here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu & Co.  
  
**Chapter 8**  
  
They pulled up to a large house, well calling it a house would not do it justice, they pulled up to a mansion about a half an hour later. There was a gate surrounding the house and the length of it was covered with reporters and news vans. Inuyasha pulled the Jeep up across the street and walked over to the gate where security guards loomed.  
  
"Hey Vince," Inuyasha said approaching one of the men wearing a dark suit, sunglasses, and an earpiece.  
  
"Hey, Yasha," the man said never breaking his stern look. "I can't let you in."  
  
"You will let me in, though, Vince. FBI," Inuyasha said pulling out his badge as Kagome did the same.  
  
"Come on, Yasha. Instructors don't count as _real_ FBI," the man said laughing slightly.  
  
Kagome could see Inuyasha visibly stiffen and she took that as her cue to step up.  
  
"Hi, um, Vince was it? I'm agent Higurashi, FBI. This man here is agent Taisho, my partner. So I suggest you let us through the gate before I have you taken into custody for disrespecting a government official," she declared, her voice strong and confident.  
  
The guard visibly gulped, "This way ma'am. I'll take you two through the guard booth that way none of the other bozos gets through."  
  
"Thank you, Vince," Kagome said flashing him her agent's smile. The smile said, 'Turn on me again and I'll kick your ass!'  
  
The two made their way through the guard booth and up the driveway. Kagome started for the front door when Inuyasha grabbed her hand.  
  
"Come on, Kagome. We'll go in my way," he said smirking at her.  
  
"I thought you said you only visited once in awhile?" she asked him raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, enough that I got to know the staff _and_ my way around," he answered, leading them around to the side of the property. Entering a side door they found a kitchen and made someone yelp at their entrance.  
  
A small boy with reddish-brown hair and big green eyes turned around quickly when he heard the door, a cookie in his hand. He was wearing tiny brown pants and a green patterned top with a matching brown vest, and his hair was pulled back into a fluffy ponytail.  
  
"Inuyasha!" the boy exclaimed bounding towards the man, "I thought you were Kaede back from the garden. She told me not to have any more cookies or I'd spoil my dinner!"  
  
"_This_ is where you visit your great-aunt?" Kagome wondered, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at her partner.  
  
"Yeah, well. Sess has the room and all and Kaede likes being around family," Inuyasha responded focusing his attention back to the boy.  
  
"Hey, Shippo," he said, bending down and placing him on his shoulder, "Kagome. This is Shippo. Shippo this is my friend from work, Kagome."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Shippo," Kagome smiled up at him. "You know, you're much cuter than your Uncle Inuyasha."  
  
Inuyasha frowned at her and Shippo laughed, "Oh! He's not my Uncle! Although I am cuter!"  
  
"Watch it brat!" Inuyasha barked at him and Shippo bit his head playfully. Turning his frown back to Kagome he saw she was stifling a giggle and losing the battle. He placed the young boy down and gave him a swat on the bottom to get him to go play. When the child bounded off Inuyasha turned to Kagome and said quietly, "Shippo was orphaned and Kaede couldn't resist that face."  
  
"I can see why. The poor thing," Kagome said looking down the hallway where the child had run off.  
  
"Plus Sess thought Rin needed a play pal. So when Kaede moved in it was the perfect set up," Inuyasha said, his eyes darkening a bit at the mention of his niece. "Come on Kagome. Let's go find Senator Fluffy."  
  
They had barely set foot in the corridor when they saw the toad-like man from the newscast hurrying their way.  
  
"Jaken, what's the rush?" Inuyasha asked the man. The man stopped so quickly he almost skidded into the pair.  
  
"Inuyasha! I thought you were never going to come and visit again?" the man asked scowling. "Senator Taisho does not wish to see you."  
  
"Shove it, Jaken. I'm here to help find Rin," Inuyasha said sweeping past the short man, dragging Kagome by the hand behind him.  
  
"Sesshoumaru will not be pleased by this unexpected visit from his half- breed brother," Jaken said behind him.  
  
Inuyasha spun around so quickly he startled Jaken into yelping. Pinning the short man against the corridor wall Inuyasha growled, "You will not speak to me this way again. I could care less what Sesshoumaru thinks of me. I'm here because of Rin, _only_ Rin, and if you forget your place again I'll have you locked away for decades with our top 10 most wanted." He let go of Jaken just to see him crumple to the ground. Kagome squeezed the hand she had never let go of and got Inuyasha's attention.  
  
Walking down the corridor she asked, "Who was that?"  
  
"Jaken, Sesshoumaru's 'yes' man," Inuyasha ground out through gritted teeth.  
  
"Taisho, you have to calm down. If you go storming in there he'll be of no help to you," Kagome told him.  
  
The corridor opened up to the most beautiful house Kagome had ever seen. Ceilings so high one could get a cramp looking up at them, crystal chandeliers hanging in every room, paintings by prestigious artists hung on every wall, and furniture that was so pristine Kagome doubted that anyone ever sat on them.  
  
A woman in a charcoal gray suit was descending the stairs. Her black hair was pulled into a bun with a hairclip featuring a small feather, and her magenta eyes had a saddened look to them. Looking up she saw the two agents standing in the foyer.  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha. I don't think the senator was expecting a visit from you," the woman said.  
  
"No. I doubt he was. We're here to get information about Rin. We're going to work on the case to find her. Kagura this is agent Higurashi, my partner," he said pushing Kagome slightly forward for the introduction. Kagome extended her hand and the woman shook it smiling.  
  
"My name's Kagura. I'm the senator's personal assistant. Pleased to meet you," she said letting go of Kagome's hand.  
  
"Pleased to meet you as well, Kagura. Please call me Kagome. We came to speak with the senator and anyone who may have any helpful information regarding his daughter's disappearance. We're trying to work as quickly as possible," Kagome said.  
  
"We'll help out as best we can, but I can't promise that the senator will speak to anyone. He's been a recluse since this whole episode began," Kagura explained. "But I can show you to the girl's bedroom if you like. That's where she was abducted. Perhaps there will be something there?"  
  
"Thank you, Kagura. That would be most helpful," Kagome said, following the woman back up the stairs. Kagome glanced back to Inuyasha and his eyes were betraying his face, which was set into a mask. He was hurting and going into his niece's room would probably not help.  
  
"Inuyasha, I'd like to you stay outside her room. I'll go in and check for anything that may help us in our search," Kagome said lightly touching his arm. He nodded silently and followed behind the two women to the girl's bedroom.  
  
Kagome went quietly into the room and closed the door so Inuyasha wouldn't have to suffer any memories of the lost girl. The room was most definitely the room of a senator's daughter. A pink canopy bed was set in front of an enormous bay window and stuffed animals lined many shelves that were up on pink walls. The room had been left exactly as it was from the moment she was last in it, Kagome guessed, for clothes, toys, and books were thrown around the room. Kagome pulled out a pair of rubber gloves from her trench coat and set about looking for clues. She moved over to the bed, guessing that the girl had been abducted while asleep, and found the sheets in a heap by the foot of the bed. The girl had struggled. _Good for you, Rin_, Kagome thought.  
  
She found she couldn't get to the bay window without climbing over the bed and she tried to get there without disturbing anything. She pulled back the pink sheer curtains and stopped suddenly. There was a muddy leaf near the windowsill. Kagome pulled out an evidence bag from her pocket and was about to place the leaf inside when, "What do you think you are doing?" bellowed a man from behind her.  
  
Kagome jumped from the sound and turned around to find the tall man with long silver hair and golden eyes from the newscast earlier glowering at her. Inuyasha had heard the yell from the hallway and opened the door to find the same scene.  
  
"I told you, no reporters! And here I find you sneaking around my daughter's room?" he nearly screamed. He reached for her, probably to throw her out of the room, when Inuyasha's brain kicked in.  
  
"Don't even touch her, Sesshoumaru!" he yelled from the doorway. Sesshoumaru stopped and turned at the familiar voice.  
  
"Inuyasha? You brought this wench in here?" he questioned. "I thought you cared for Rin, and now I see you only want to help out the enemy. Is she paying you?"  
  
"Shut up, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. "And fucking step away from her." His eyes grew dark with rage like they had the previous night. "Don't even fucking look at her."  
  
Kagome had found her voice after watching the scene. _Gods, Kagome, could you act anymore helpless? You're a big girl!  
_  
"Excuse me, Senator Taisho," causing the older man to turn around, "My name's Kagome Higurashi. I'm an agent sent from the FBI. Inuyasha and I are partners. We only came to see if we could help find your daughter. I came in to examine the room and found this on the windowsill. I think it may be from the abductor." She spoke calmly though her heart felt like it was jumping out of her chest. This man scared her, and she didn't know why.  
  
The Senator's eyes widened when she said they were with the FBI and if possible, widened even more when she mentioned she had found something.  
  
"I'm sorry, agent, Higurashi was it? The press has been vicious and my daughter was the only thing I had in this world," Sesshoumaru said his face returning to the cold mask he had worn on the TV earlier that day.  
  
"I can understand how upset you've been, senator, but we're only here to help. If you would be of help to us we'd like to start our search for your daughter as soon as possible," Kagome continued.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked to Inuyasha who had crossed his arms across his chest and was scowling at his brother.  
  
"And you, Inuyasha, are okay with this search?" Sesshoumaru asked.  
  
"Of course I am," he snapped out whispering something close to "idgit" under his breath, "I love Rin. We need to get this bastard before he hurts her!"  
  
"Well then it's agreed!" Kagome cheered from the window. "You both want to find her and obviously care about her equally. So you, Senator, will help us with information and we, Inuyasha and myself, will search for her in exchange."  
  
"Agreed," Sesshoumaru said sweeping by Inuyasha to exit the girl's bedroom, "Is she always this peppy Inuyasha?"  
  
"She's just trying to light the spitfire," he grumbled at his half-brother. When Kagome caught his eye, he winked at her.  
  
After bagging the evidence Kagome and Inuyasha met with Sesshoumaru in his office. "Senator Taisho, we know this has been difficult for you but we'd like you to tell us what happened this morning. Who found out about the abduction? Would you have any enemies? Anything of the sort?" Kagome asked pulling out a small notepad to take notes on.  
  
Sesshoumaru took a deep breath before answering, "I was the one that found her room empty this morning. I wake her up every morning so we can have breakfast together. It's usually the only time I can spend with her," he said looking down to his lap. "I haven't touched her room. Can't bring myself to move anything around. As for enemies, agent Higurashi, senators tend to have many enemies. Anyone who doesn't like what I've voted for in the senate or someone who liked the other guy in the election, it happens all the time."  
  
"Was there a note, Sess?" Inuyasha asked his brother, moving forward in his chair.  
  
"Now that you mention it, there was something on her pillow this morning. Not a note, per say, but maybe it's something," Sesshoumaru said getting up from his desk. "I'll go get it for you. Excuse me a moment."  
  
When he had left the office Kagome turned towards Inuyasha. He had a scowl on her face and she asked, "Do you have any ideas, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I just have an awful feeling that it's the same son of a bitch we've been tracking," he said turning to stare out the window.  
  
Sesshoumaru returned quickly and Kagura followed him into the office carrying a tray of tea for everyone. "I thought you'd all like some tea. The Senator usually takes a cup at this time anyway," Kagura stated placing the tray on the desk. "Would you like some, Kagome?"  
  
"Thank you. That would be nice," she answered. "Um, Kagura? Could you think of any possibilities? Anyone that would want to harm the Senator or his daughter?"  
  
The woman shook her head, "I've been trying so hard to think of someone. Rin was such a happy girl. No one would ever want to harm her. But I'd be lying if I said there hadn't been those in the past that threatened Senator Taisho."  
  
"Have any ever sent messages? Written threats? Emails?" Kagome pressed.  
  
"Oh, no, nothing like that, only those that would yell during rallies," she said, handing her a cup of tea.  
  
"Thank you, Kagura, especially for the tea," Kagome said smiling.  
  
"That will be all, Kagura. I want you to set up a press conference. Perhaps if he knows we have the FBI on our side and searching, he'll be quick to return Rin safely," Sesshoumaru instructed his assistant. "Here's what I found in Rin's room this morning."  
  
He handed Inuyasha a piece of white paper no bigger than a post-it. He looked at it briefly before handing it over to Kagome to put into another evidence bag. There was one word typed on it in neat block letters: **FEAR**.  
  
Kagome's mind begin turning. _Fear? That was it? Why Rin? What's the connection between her, Daughter Congressman, and Kikyou? What's he playing at? Is it a game for him?  
_  
"I bet if we send that to Forensics they'll find his tag," Inuyasha commented, lifting Kagome from her thoughts.  
  
Sesshoumaru bristled, "What do you mean _his_ tag? Has he done this before?"  
  
"You know I can't tell you that, Sess. But what I can tell you is that we'll find Rin. _Alive_," he ground out the last word as if he were swearing his life on it.  
  
"We'll do our best, Senator Taisho. I can't thank you enough for meeting with us today," Kagome said standing up and extending her hand. Sesshoumaru gripped it firmly and gave her a smirk that could almost be mistaken for a smile.  
  
"I can see why Inuyasha was so quick to make the jump to agent, Ms. Higurashi," he said quietly.  
  
"That's agent Higurashi, Senator. But thank you," she said releasing his hand. The two brothers merely nodded at each other.  
  
Walking to the door Sesshoumaru's voice stopped them, "Inuyasha?"  
  
"Yeah, Sess?" he asked turning.  
  
"I'm sure Kaede would like to see you at dinner Friday night. Agent Higurashi the invitation stands for you as well," he said still holding that cold stare.  
  
Inuyasha started to shake his head and answer in the negative when Kagome interrupted him, "That would be lovely, Senator Taisho. Thank you so much for the invitation. We _both_ will be there."  
  
Before Inuyasha could open his mouth to protest, Kagome was dragging him down the hall and down the stairs. They passed quickly through the corridor and the kitchen that they came in through and were out the door before Inuyasha's brain had even processed what she had just done.  
  
"Wench! How could you have possibly accepted his invitation?" Inuyasha shouted at her.  
  
"You know my name, Taisho, and 'wench' is _not_ it!" Kagome shouted back at him. "Besides, it seemed to me that he wants to patch things up with you. Rin's kidnapping has obviously hit him hard, not just you, and you should be there for your brother!"  
  
"Whatever, Higurashi," he said moping back down the driveway to the guard booth.  
  
"Inuyasha? Is that ye?" called an older woman's voice from behind them.  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome both turned around to see an aged woman with a basket of herbs in her hands, standing in the middle of a beautiful garden next to the house.  
  
"Kaede-baba," Inuyasha called to the old woman. He jogged over to where the old woman stood and reached down and hugged her quickly. "Kaede, this is Kagome Higurashi, my partner."  
  
Kagome walked up to the two in the garden, "It's so nice to meet you, Kaede- sama."  
  
"Oh, please. Drop the 'sama' I may be an old woman but ye can have the privilege of calling me Kaede-baba as well. After all you're Inuyasha's partner," Kaede said, emphasizing the word 'partner'.  
  
The two agents blushed and Inuyasha coughed and said, "We're _work_ partners, you old hag!"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed giving him a disapproving look.  
  
"Do not worry, child. It's an old sentiment from the demon ye know as Inuyasha," Kaede said smiling. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the old woman. "Inuyasha? Will you come and have dinner with me this Friday?"  
  
"Oh, we've already accepted the invitation from Senator Taisho!" Kagome answered cheerfully.  
  
"Ye have?" Kaede asked incredulously looking at Inuyasha. He had crossed his arms and was looking to the distance as was becoming his usual habit.  
  
"We have," answered Inuyasha, muttering 'hag' under his breath, "Now if you don't mind Kaede, we'll head back to work now."  
  
"Don't let an old woman keep ye from such important things as this. Ye will help Inuyasha. Won't ye?" she asked looking up at him.  
  
"Of course, Kaede-baba. This will all be over soon," he said leaning down to hug her again. "Oh and Kaede? Shippo's been sneaking cookies again ya better keep an eye on the little brat!"  
  
"I'll do my best child!" she called as they walked down the driveway.  
  
A few minutes later when they had worked their way passed the guard booth and turned down a dozen reporters with 'no comment' Kagome turned to Inuyasha in the car, "You're really sweet with her, you know that?"  
  
"Who?" Inuyasha asked, although he already knew whom she was referring to.  
  
"Kaede. It's amazing how you can be sweet and an ass all in the same sentence to her," Kagome said smirking at him.  
  
"I try," he said. "Hey, it's almost lunch time. Want to grab something on the way back?"  
  
"Something quick. I've been out of the office way too much this week already and its only Wednesday! I don't even want to imagine how much paperwork is awaiting my arrival back to the office," she groaned.  
  
"How 'bout burgers and fries?" Inuyasha suggested at which Kagome's stomach gave a small growl.  
  
"Okay. But in all seriousness we got to stop going out for lunch. Pretty soon I won't be able to make it through the field course! I'll be demoted to desk jockey, 'Diagnosis Takeout!'" she exclaimed. Inuyasha just shook his head, rolled his eyes, and drove off.  
  
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Hey y'all! There's Chapter 8! Hope you all like. I introduced some familiar faces to the story. Let me know what you think! R&R! B.I.G. 


	9. Chapter 9

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: You know this story keeps getting bigger and bigger. I don't even know where it's going to end up. But I'm enjoying the ride! I hope you all are enjoying it too! So here's chapter 8!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.  
  
**Chapter 8  
**  
After dropping the note and the leaf off to Forensics for analysis Kagome walked _slowly_ back to the office dreading the work ahead of her. She had been right about the amount of paperwork she found on her desk. She sat down in her chair and sighed, "I bet I'll be here for most of the night."  
  
"I won't let you stay here alone, Higurashi," Inuyasha said from his cubicle.  
  
"I can take care of myself, Taisho. Thank you very much," she said frowning at him.  
  
He got up and moved to kneel in front of her chair so that he was eye level with her, "I'm not leaving you, Kagome. You saw the letter that asshole sent. You're not safe. It's better if I can at least make sure you get to your car safe after work."  
  
"But," Kagome began to protest.  
  
"No buts. You'll be lucky if you can get rid of me. After this whole incident with Rin I'm not taking any more chances. No one else I care about is going to be hurt," he said looking away from her; he looked angry, really angry.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome said turning his face towards her. "You care about me?" She raised her eyebrows and her lips curved into a small smile. His face softened at her touch.  
  
"You have to know that Kagome. Don't you?" Inuyasha asked her. She shook her head in the negative. "Gods, Kagome! I've known you for more than just three days. I watched you for three _years_ at the Academy! Watched you come into your own, find yourself, ya know?"  
  
Her eyes were bright with tears. "Don't cry, Kagome. Please? I didn't mean to upset you. I know, sounds a little weird, 'I've been watching you for three years.' I didn't mean it in a stalker-ish way... well I don't know how I meant it... I just..."  
  
She had moved her face down close to his when she whispered, "Taisho. You're babbling," before capturing his lips in a short kiss. Breaking apart from him he looked extremely confused.  
  
"I thought you said professional in the office," he said smirking at her.  
  
"I did," she told him looking at him softly, "But when you say something that sweet I just have to break the rules."  
  
"You're not upset?" Inuyasha asked her narrowing his eyes incredulously.  
  
She shook her head and proved it by placing another soft kiss on his lips, "Thank you for staying with me tonight."  
  
"Did I just hear you're staying with Higurashi tonight, Taisho?" asked someone over the cubicle. The two looked up to see Miroku smirking down at them. "Well, well, well, isn't this an interesting position." SMACK! "Ow! Sango!?"  
  
"You deserved that Houshi. I'm sure you were being perverted," Sango said walking around him and peeking into Kagome's hub. "Oh, sorry. We didn't know we were interrupting something."  
  
"You weren't," Kagome said, moving away from Inuyasha slightly, "I was just telling Taisho how backed up with work I am and he offered to stay until I was finished."  
  
"Oh, well we were just going to ask if you wanted to grab something from the caf," Sango said.  
  
"No thanks, we had lunch on the way back from Senator Taisho's," Kagome explained.  
  
"Well, we'll leave you to your work then," Miroku called back to them having already started for the cafeteria. "Come on, Sango, I'm hungry!"  
  
"Talk to you later, Kagome!" Sango called rushing after her partner.  
  
"Are you sure those two aren't together," Inuyasha asked looking after them, "They act like an old married couple."  
  
"Believe me, Sango gets enough of Houshi at work," Kagome said turning towards her desk.  
  
"I'm gonna hit up Forensics in a few see what they came across, okay?" Inuyasha said. Kagome merely nodded already her head already into her paperwork.  
  
Kagome spent almost three hours going through paperwork before taking a break. There had been a lot of backup since she had taken on the Yukari case late last week and with the addition of two other cases and a partner the paperwork just kept getting pushed back and back. She finished typing up an old report and sending it to Archives, entered a few previous cases into the database that Houjou had created, and filtered through the rest of the paperwork that was piling up her desk.  
  
Leaning back from her desk she stretched and yawned.  
  
"Tired Higurashi?" Inuyasha asked from his desk.  
  
"You have no idea, Taisho," she said putting her head in her hands.  
  
"Well, while you've been battling the paper beast, Forensics called. The ink that was used on the paper that was found at the sight of Rin's abduction matches the ink on the letter I received," he told her. "So I did a little research. Turns out there's only one store that mixes ink for individual customers. I'm gonna go check it out, see if we get any leads."  
  
"When do we leave?" she asked reaching for her briefcase.  
  
"We don't," Inuyasha answered her getting up from his desk. "Sango came by while you were buried in work. Said she wanted to take you down to the rec room for a break when you came up for air."  
  
"Taisho, you may need me down there," Kagome protested.  
  
"Don't worry, Higurashi, I can handle myself. Besides Houshi volunteered to drive. Something about getting away from Taijiya for a bit," he said grabbing his stuff. "Take a break, Kagome, you deserve it. Besides, by the time you're done and get back here I'll be waiting with dinner, my treat."  
  
"I told you about grabbing fast food, didn't I?" Kagome asked.  
  
"And what exactly makes you think I'm going to listen?" Inuyasha called over his shoulder walking to Houshi's hub before Kagome could retort.  
  
She grumbled to herself and started to straighten up before heading over to Sango's desk.  
  
"Taisho said you stopped by earlier. I'm sorry I was so lost in work," Kagome apologized when she got to Sango's hub.  
  
"No problem, Kagome, I know you've been busy. I mean Myouga threw three cases at you _and_ expected you to wrap up past cases while adjusting to a new partner. I think it's understandable hun," Sango said.  
  
"Thanks Sango. So, you wanted to hit up the rec room?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Yeah, we haven't worked out together in awhile. We could play catch up. Let me know what you really think of Taisho," Sango winked at her.  
  
"Oh, gods, Sango," Kagome said rolling her eyes.  
  
The two women headed down to their locker room to change before their workout. While they were changing Kagome started asking Sango some questions, "Sango? What do you think of two agents... you know... getting together?"  
  
"You mean becoming involved with each other?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded. "I think what Inuyasha said at lunch yesterday is right. If something were there, wouldn't it be worse to ignore it all that time? I mean we all know that you and Houjou had felt something for one another. Is that what you're talking about?"  
  
"Well, yes, but Houjou and I never got together. I never wanted it to get in the way of work. I mean I saw how Miroku respected you when you were assigned each other. He stopped trying to get into your pants," Kagome said quietly, so other agents in the locker room wouldn't know everything.  
  
"Who said he stopped trying?" Sango asked. Kagome almost fell off the bench she was sitting on.  
  
"Well, I just assumed that when the groping stopped he stopped!" Kagome exclaimed, causing a few women to glance their way. Sango threw a towel at Kagome and then sat down next to her.  
  
"Listen Kagome. Miroku and I, well, we've been seeing each other. For a while," Sango said in a whisper. "We just try to keep it private. You know, no groping in the office, when he makes comments I hit him as much as possible. That sort of thing."  
  
"Sango!" Kagome breathed. "This whole time? I thought you couldn't stand his advances?"  
  
"I actually find them quite flattering, and we've moved beyond those antics from the Academy. He really is the sweetest man, Kagome. I think I'm in love with him," Sango said dreamily.  
  
"How come you never told me?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Because I thought you wouldn't approve, Kagome. You're so... so_ rigid_ lately. I thought you'd tell me it wasn't right, that we'd be compromising our professional integrity," Sango said quietly, "But Kagome, it just feels so right!"  
  
Kagome stood up, "I understand completely, Sango. And no, I don't disapprove. Besides," she said pulling Sango up as well, "I think something's starting with Inuyasha."  
  
"I _knew_ it!" Sango yelled jumping up in the air. This time they ignored the fact that others were staring at them.  
  
"Kami, Sango! He's amazing. He's arrogant and strong one moment, and the next sweet and _sexy_!" this last part Kagome whispered.  
  
"So? Go for it, Kagome!" Sango cheered.  
  
"I've tried, Sango. But he wants me to find who I was, the girl who talked back to him when I was in the Academy. I don't even remember who that was," she said sadly.  
  
"Well, we'll just have to find her then won't we?" Sango said cheerfully. "Come on, we'll start with you kicking some butt!" Sango dragged Kagome out to the rec room where they started their workout.  
  
------ ------- ------ -------- -------- ---------- --------  
  
Inuyasha and Miroku had been driving to the calligraphy store for about twenty minutes.  
  
"Government must treat you nice if you can drive a Benz to work," Inuyasha said getting a good look at the car.  
  
"Yeah right. Obviously they neglected to tell you they pay us in peanuts. This was my dad's old car. When he gave it to me he gave me this huge long speech about how I should pass it on to my son... blah blah blah," he said. "Little did he know the thing would be on its last legs. Besides, the government gives us the standard Fords, but I like my ride better."  
  
"I know what you mean. I just got a new BMW motorcycle and I'd rather ride on that any day then be cooped up in a government-mobile," Inuyasha responded.  
  
"So, what's the deal with you and Higurashi?" Miroku asked out of the blue.  
  
"What the hell does_ that_ mean Houshi?" Inuyasha snapped.  
  
"Miroku, remember? And it means that Sango and I noticed that you two were attracted to one another at lunch yesterday," Miroku commented giving Inuyasha a side-glance.  
  
"Oh, well... I... uh, Higurashi helped me understand that it's important to keep things at a minimum in the office," Inuyasha spit out.  
  
"Is that why I found you between her legs earlier?" Miroku asked. SMACK! "Ow! Why does everyone do that? I just asked an innocent question!"  
  
"That was anything but innocent. And no, I was not in between her legs. I was reassuring her that she would be okay staying late tonight," Inuyasha grumbled.  
  
"You know, Sango and I have been together for the last few years," Miroku confided. Inuyasha's jaw dropped open and he stared at the young man.  
  
"I _knew_ it! I told Higurashi there was something up between you two!" Inuyasha exclaimed.  
  
"How did you know? We've been trying to keep it private. We both knew Kagome would disapprove. She is rather straightedge nowadays. But it's so hard, Inuyasha. Sango is so beautiful, intelligent, strong, and amazing in bed!" Miroku grinned.  
  
"Just don't go into details, Houshi!" Inuyasha grumbled. "But I agree with you. Kagome has gone straightedge since I last knew her. I'm trying to change that. She needs to find that spark that she once had. What made her want to be an agent."  
  
"Oh man, you got it bad my friend," Miroku said looking over to Inuyasha's distant expression.  
  
Inuyasha turned to Miroku and decided that he could trust him. After all, hadn't he just told him that he and Sango were seeing each other?  
  
"I'm in love with Kagome, Miroku," he breathed out.  
  
"Nani?! You've only known her for three days!" Miroku shouted.  
  
"No, I haven't. I knew her for three years back at the Academy. I fell for her that very first day she talked back to me," Inuyasha said turning his gaze out the window.  
  
"Oh yeah! I remember that day. You were such an asshole to her. She thought you hated her and in turn started hating you," Miroku told him.  
  
Inuyasha shrugged, "It's happened before. Agents have told me how much they hate me once they've graduated. It kind of makes me happy, you know? They'll always remember the asshole that made them run every day for three years."  
  
"And has Kagome told you such?" Miroku prodded.  
  
"No. Very much the opposite actually," Inuyasha answered. "She told me I gave her the best kiss she'd ever had."  
  
"Ha! Sango _so_ owes me five bucks!" Miroku rejoiced.  
  
"You guys were betting on us?" Inuyasha snapped his head around to glare at the young man.  
  
"Can you blame us? You guys are perfect for each other. She's a hardheaded woman who can kick some major ass. And you're the arrogant hothead that taught her how to do it!" Miroku pointed out.  
  
Inuyasha wiped a hand across his face, "I can't help what I feel for her. And we made a promise. That we'd find who Kagome used to be before we got seriously involved."  
  
Miroku spotted the calligraphy store they had been looking for and pulled the car over. Before he cut the engine he turned to Inuyasha, "Well my friend, I don't see how you have a problem. You want Kagome and from how she reacts to you I see she wants you. Just go for it, man!"  
  
"If only it were that easy," Inuyasha said getting out of the car.  
  
The two agents strode into the store. Little did they know it would be one hell of a fight to get back out.  
  
----- ------ ------- ------- ----- ------  
  
So, there's Chapter 9! I know a bit of a cliffhanger. Sorry! But you know the way I update you'll know the rest before you know it! R & R! B.I.G. 


	10. Chapter 10

Agent Under Fire  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co.  
  
**Chapter 10  
**  
Inuyasha and Miroku stepped into a store that was modern on the outside and was like feudal Japan inside. Bamboo mats lined the walls and the floor, tapestries hung all around the small store, and glass cases held swords and armor from centuries ago. There were kimonos displayed on the walls and one caught Inuyasha's attention. It was bright red men's haori and the material seemed extremely course and heavy. _Yeah, like a feudal warrior would wear a bright red kimono. That would be like saying, 'Here I am. Try to kill me!'  
_  
"Ten bucks says a two-hundred year old man runs this place," Miroku whispered to Inuyasha after their eyes had adjusted to the dimly lit store. It was late afternoon in reality, but inside the store it seemed as if it were past midnight.  
  
An old man with his thinning hair pulled back into a ponytail and his oddly shaped goatee fraying at the bottom hobbled out behind one of the tapestries. He saw the two men and looked at them quizzically.  
  
"Can I help you?" the old man asked in a tired voice.  
  
"We're hoping you can help us, actually," Inuyasha said stepping forward and pulling out his badge. "Agent Taisho, FBI. This is agent Houshi. We want to know the names of the customers you've been mixing ink for."  
  
The old man gave a worried look to the tapestry he had just emerged from and then back to the two men, "I don't have names for you. People come in, place an order, and then I tell them to come back in a day or two."  
  
"What are you hiding, old man?" Inuyasha asked through gritted teeth.  
  
The man shifted uncomfortably, "Hiding? I'm not sure what you're talking about young man, but what I've told you is the truth."  
  
Inuyasha took another step forward, "So you won't mind if we have a look around?"  
  
"Wait! You can't just go traipsing around my store! I have some very fragile antiques and specialty items that you could damage!" the old man protested.  
  
"I promise I'll be careful," Inuyasha ground out pushing past the man to go behind the tapestry. He looked back at Miroku and nodded signaling for him to watch his back.  
  
Inuyasha pulled back the tapestry to find a back room covered with antiques, extra tapestries, and rusted katanas. The old man was pulling on Inuyasha's jacket, "Please! See? I told you. Please leave before you ruin something! I take great care not to harm these items."  
  
Inuyasha took one last glance around the back room before turning back to the man to return to the front of the store. He saw a frightened expression on the old man's face but it wasn't because of him, he was looking passed Inuyasha. Inuyasha pulled his weapon from his shoulder holster as he heard a gunshot behind him. He whirled around just in time to catch the bullet in his upper right arm and he went down to the floor on one knee fast, firing at the shooter. His eyes blazed with anger, _Why hadn't I known?  
_  
Miroku heard the first shot and ran forward, pulling his weapon, and pushed the old man out of the way to get a clear shot at Inuyasha's attacker. Even though the whole shop was lit dimly, Miroku could see the outline of the shooter. He seemed to have long lavender hair, although that could have been the lighting, and he was wearing a mask over his nose and mouth. Miroku fired at the attacker once, blowing away his kneecap, but was prevented from firing again when a blinding hot pain tore across his back.  
  
He went down hard on his knees and turned to see a man identical to the attacker, although shorter, holding what seemed to be a scythe in his hand dripping with blood. "My brother is slow and careless with his attacks, but you never saw me coming," the shorter man said. "I will not be forgiving."  
  
Inuyasha's attacker screamed with pain when Miroku's shot had hit him and started to drag himself out a back door. Inuyasha then turned his attention to the man looming over Miroku. He staid his injured arm by bracing it with his left hand and shot once at close range, taking off his arm that was holding the scythe.  
  
The man yelled and ran out the front of the shop jumping into a van that had pulled around leaving the two agents injured and the old man whimpering. Miroku slumped to the floor breathing heavily.  
  
Inuyasha stood up holding his injured arm, "What the fuck was that? Who the fuck was that?" he yelled walking over to Miroku and kneeling down, "You better start talking old man because if you don't you'll end up worse than me or my friend here."  
  
The man started babbling, "I never wanted them here! But they offered so much money! They brought in imports! Items I had never seen before!"  
  
"Miroku, can you assess your injuries?" Inuyasha asked the crumpled figure.  
  
"I'll be fine, just get an emergency response team to patch me up," Miroku said before closing his eyes.  
  
Inuyasha pulled out his cell phone and called for a team to meet them and a car for the man's arrest. The old man started shaking, "You're arresting me?"  
  
"Until we can get more information out of you, yes," Inuyasha growled at the man.  
  
"I can't tell you! They'll kill me! They'll kill me!" the old man started screaming hysterically. Inuyasha stood up, blood dripping from his injured arm, and walked over to where the man trembled on the floor. He raised his gun in his left hand and brought it down quickly on the man's head, knocking him out.  
  
"Just a typical day at the office," Inuyasha said sitting down, awaiting the arrival of the response team.  
  
The team got there about twenty minutes later. _Always a fast response_, Inuyasha thought sarcastically. They arrested the old man, who awoke groggily from his 'power nap' and set to work bandaging Miroku and Inuyasha's injuries. The Forensics crew came in while the two agents were being led to the response vehicle. Inuyasha made a mental note to follow up with them later to see what they found.  
  
As they were escorted outside, Inuyasha saw a federal employee getting into Miroku's car to drive it back to the office. _They think of everything_. Climbing into the van, Inuyasha grabbed a seat just in time as the blood loss and the events from the day caused him to slip into unconsciousness.  
  
----- ----- ----- ---- ----- ------ ------ ----- -----  
  
Kagome and Sango were barely in the office for 5 seconds when Myouga burst out of his office at them.  
  
"Higurashi! Taijiya! You're partners were brought into the emergency unit. Apparently a shooting went down at their investigation sight and they were brought down," Myouga spat out at them, never being the one to smooth things over.  
  
The women looked each other, worry clearly etched across both faces, before they turned heel and bolted down the hallway.  
  
They skidded into the emergency unit in record time. A woman at the front desk told them that both men were unconscious from blood loss and that they could have a seat in the holding area until they regained consciousness.  
  
"Oh gods, Sango! I can't go through this again. I wish they could tell us the extent of their injuries," Kagome said placing her head in her hands.  
  
"Don't worry Kagome. Those two are too stubborn to leave us now," Sango tried to say calmly, but her voice betrayed her by shaking slightly. She wrapped an arm around her friend and waited.  
  
"Ahem," the woman from earlier interrupted, "They seem to be awake now but the unit doctor doesn't think they should have any visitors for a while."  
  
Kagome shot up, "And who the hell does this doctor think he is anyway? Does he know that I just lost a partner a short time ago? I'm not losing another one! You can tell him to get his sorry ass out here and tell me to my face that he won't let me see my own partner!"  
  
"No need for yelling, Higurashi, my sorry ass is right here," said a voice to her right.  
  
She whirled around to see an old friend, "Kouga?"  
  
The man shot her a grin. He stood quite tall and was, many of the unit nurses agreed, quite handsome. He had black hair that was cut short due to his position and black bangs that hung over intense ice blue eyes.  
  
"Dr. Kouga Wolfe, at your service," he said. Kagome ran towards him and gave him a quick hug. Kouga had been the one that tried to save Houjou's life when he was brought into the unit. Although unsuccessful he had done his best to comfort Kagome and they had become fast friends.  
  
"Kouga? Please? We need to see Inuyasha and Miroku. Can't you tell us how they're doing?" Kagome pleaded with big eyes.  
  
"They're both in stable condition. Agent Taisho received a bullet to his upper right arm; he sustained sufficient blood loss and lost consciousness on the way back to the unit. He's regained consciousness but is resting now. Agent Houshi was found with a deep gash across his back apparently cut with a blade of some sort. He unfortunately will have to stay for a few days in the unit, due to his blood loss and possible infection. Taisho should be released as soon as he's regained consciousness for a few hours," Kouga told them. Sango gasped in her seat and Kagome reached out her hand for hers.  
  
Kagome was relieved Inuyasha's injuries hadn't been that bad, but poor Miroku; his injuries could take a while to heal. She looked up at Kouga giving him her best puppy look, "Kouga? Could we please go and sit with them? We promise we won't disturb them until they wake."  
  
"Kagome, you know I can't... oh don't give me that look... I hate it when you do that! I can't say no," Kouga said trying to avoid Kagome's eyes. "Okay, fine! Go!"  
  
Kagome leaned over and gave Kouga a kiss on the cheek before pulling Sango to her feet, "Thanks Kouga! You don't know how much we appreciate you."  
  
"Yeah, yeah... Taisho's in Recovery Room 3 and Houshi's in 4," he said running a hand through his hair.  
  
"We really do love you, Kouga! You're the best," Kagome said smiling still holding on to Sango as they went down the hall.  
  
Looking after them Kouga whispered to himself, "Not in the way I want you to love me, Kagome." He watched them disappear into their respective recovery rooms with sad eyes before turning back to the front desk.  
  
"Ayame, I need these two filed away," he said handing the woman Inuyasha's and Miroku's files, "Agents Higurashi and Taijiya can stay as long as they want."  
  
The woman nodded and smiled at Kouga and he grinned at her. _Okay, so maybe things are looking up after all.  
  
_---- ---- ---- ----- ----- ------ ------- -------  
  
Kagome crept into Inuyasha's recovery room and closed the door. The lights had been turned down so he could rest. She moved to a chair next to his bed and saw his jacket and remnants of his shirt lying on top. She picked up the garments and sat down looking up at him. She was startled to see him looking at her.  
  
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" she asked in a whisper.  
  
"Yeah. But not when you came in just now," he said. His voice was extremely hoarse, probably from being unconscious for so long. He pulled himself into a sitting position, "I heard you give a nice little speech out in the waiting area."  
  
Kagome blushed, "I'm sorry I disturbed you." She looked down in her lap and started playing with his shirt.  
  
"Kagome?" he said causing her to look up at him. He was smiling, "I couldn't have been more happy to hear you out there. Not just because it was you that I heard, but because of how you spoke to whoever was out there."  
  
She stood up, placing his things back on the chair, and came over to his bed sitting down on the edge. She reached over and smoothed his bangs from his face, "I don't understand, Inuyasha."  
  
He had to admit she was completely adorable at this moment. She had this confused expression on her face but her eyes reflected her worry that she had for him.  
  
"You fought the system, Kagome, and got your way in here. Broke the rules," he said reaching a hand up to place on the back of her neck. He pulled her closer to him, "You ignited the spitfire."  
  
She leaned closer to him, "I didn't do that, Inuyasha," he frowned at her, "You did." With that he pulled her down to him and stole her lips for a kiss.  
  
She pulled back from him shortly afterward, "You're supposed to be injured, remember?"  
  
"Which means you're supposed to take sympathy on me," he said smirking at her. She playfully punched his good arm and smiled at him.  
  
"Kouga said you'll be released after you've been up for a few hours," she told him.  
  
"Kouga? Since when are you on a first name basis with Wolfe-boy?" Inuyasha asked scowling.  
  
Kagome laughed lightly, "He was there for me when I really needed the help."  
  
"There for you, _how_?" Inuyasha asked narrowing his eyes.  
  
"You better not be implying what I think you're implying! What kind of girl do you take me for?" Kagome yelled.  
  
"The kind that seeks comfort in the arms of some wolf, literally! And I think you know what I'm implying! Why don't you go run into his arms now?" Inuyasha yelled back.  
  
"Because I wanted to be here with you!" she nearly screamed. She realized what she had said and added quietly, "I was worried about you." Tears were beginning to form in her eyes.  
  
"Kagome, I didn't mean what I said about you and whoever," he said pulling her into a hug with his good arm.  
  
"I care about you, Inuyasha. Even after such a short amount of time. I thought you would... oh, never mind what I thought. You're safe is all," Kagome said nuzzling his neck. He pulled back from her slightly and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. "Can I get you anything, Inuyasha?"  
  
He frowned, thinking, "Well, they left a tee shirt and some sweatpants for me since they had to cut the other one off to get to the bullet wound." Kagome gasped when he mentioned the wound. "It's fine, Kagome, but do you think you could help me into some clothes? It's kind of hard for me with only one arm. They're in the closet."  
  
Kagome nodded and went to the closet to pull out the shirt. When she got back to him he was attempting to loosen the ties on the hospital gown he was sporting. "I don't know, Taisho, blue polka dots look good on you," she giggled.  
  
"Yeah real funny. Help me?" he asked raising his eyes to hers. He looked so innocent sitting their struggling to do for himself. But now, when he looked at her, Kagome could feel that heat again, and she liked it. She couldn't get to the ties to the gown unless she reached around him. So she put one arm around his right shoulder, being careful not to harm his injury further, and one arm under his left arm to get to the knots. She pulled herself closer to him and carefully pushed his hair, which had been let loose from the hair tie, to the side. She set to work undoing the ties to get him free. As she worked, Inuyasha could feel her breath against his neck, and it was shooting shivers down his spine.  
  
When she was done untying the hospital gown she set to work removing it, being extremely careful not to hurt his arm. She pulled it down over his left shoulder letting her fingers trail the skin being revealed, and pulled his arm free, and did the same with his right arm. His skin was tan and smooth and she trailed her fingers down his chiseled chest and stomach before she stopped a question forming in her mind.  
  
"Don't look so scared, Higurashi," Inuyasha whispered putting his good arm around her, "They left my boxers on for some decency." She looked up to find his eyes half lidded, his face flushed, and a small smile gracing his features. From the heat she felt on her face, Kagome didn't doubt she looked the same. She wanted him at that moment.  
  
"Inuyasha," she breathed. He traced his hand up her back to her neck and felt her shiver with pleasure. He pulled her close and instead of placing a kiss upon her lips, swollen from desire, he ran his tongue along the outside of her ear and whispered, "Let's go upstairs, Kagome."  
  
It took her mind a few moments to understand he didn't mean the office and before she could respond he had covered her lips in an eager kiss. Her eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled his scent and melted into his embrace. Kagome encircled her arms around his bare waist and began to respond to his kiss, licking his bottom lip for entry. He was surprised to see her take control of the kiss but decided to go with it and opened his mouth to her.  
  
She made a small whimpering sound in his mouth before capturing his tongue with her own. He moaned into her mouth and began tracing her mouth, her teeth, and her tongue with his own. Every part that he could feel of her he wanted to. He grimaced slightly as he moved both arms to her hips and lifted her up to straddle him.  
  
He removed her suit jacket from her small frame as he began to place warm open-mouthed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. Kagome moaned and thrust her hands into Inuyasha's hair. He began to unbutton her shirt and trailed the work of his hands with hot kisses. He cupped her right breast through silky material and placed a tender kiss on top of it before sliding her shirt off her body.  
  
He continued to kiss her breast, running his tongue along the top and dipping it into the crevice between the two, while attempting to work the clasp of her bra.  
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome called breathlessly, "No." He was so close! He sighed and before he pulled away from her placed another small kiss on her collarbone. He looked up at her. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks flushed a slight pink, and her lips were swollen and red.  
  
"I want you so bad, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered up to her.  
  
"I know, Inuyasha. But not here. Not with Sango and Miroku in the next room," she said looking at him, ruffling his bangs. She could feel his body heat underneath her and realized she could feel something else beneath her and blushed.  
  
"Miroku and I talked on the way over to the calligrapher. About he and Sango," Inuyasha said trying to collect his thoughts.  
  
"Did he tell you about their relationship?" Kagome asked giggling slightly.  
  
Inuyasha looked shocked, "You knew?" She nodded.  
  
"Sango told me today. I had no idea, Inuyasha. Honestly," she said.  
  
"So why should we stop?" Inuyasha asked giving her a puppy dog face before placing a kiss between her breasts.  
  
She sighed contentedly, "Because I want this to be you and me." He pulled away from her.  
  
"You're absolutely right, Kagome. Do you think they'll let me go home now?" he asked.  
  
She giggled, "You're in that much of a hurry, huh?" He kissed her lightly.  
  
"You have no idea," he whispered against her lips.  
  
"Well then let's get you dressed, Taisho," she said with a smile. She helped him tug his shirt on making sure his injured arm was safe, and then helped him stand up and shed the rest of the hospital gown before getting him into sweatpants. She called for the unit nurse by the front desk and she allowed him to be released since he was up, dressed, and walking.  
  
Kagome stopped by Miroku's room to tell Sango she was driving Inuyasha home. Sango had obviously been crying, but Miroku had regained consciousness and was already saying perverted things to her by the time Kagome popped in. Kagome hugged Sango and asked her if she needed anything before she left with Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome ran upstairs to grab her things, leaving Inuyasha by security, and was downstairs in a matter of minutes.  
  
"It seems you're eager to get me home too, Kagome," he said smirking at her.  
  
"You wish, Taisho," she said going out the door. "I'll drive you home tonight. I doubt you can get on your ride like that. And I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."  
  
"Who says you're actually going to leave tonight?" Inuyasha asked her putting his good arm around her shoulders. She lightly elbowed him in the side.  
  
"I don't know, Taisho. It has been a long day... don't want to turn that into a long night," she said winking at him. She broke away from him and ran to her car.  
  
_And the chase begins again, Kagome_.  
  
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------- ------ -------- -------  
  
Okay! Raise your hand if you felt bad for Kouga for about 2.5 seconds! Keep your hand raised if you want Inu and Kag to get together soon! I don't know if I want to add a lemon just yet. Like I've been saying I'm fairly new at this and even writing short scenes like we've been seeing makes me blush. So we'll see how it develops. Anyway! R & R! And if there are going to be lemons I'll definitely put a warning on the top cause I know some people are like "do do do do.. Aaahhh! What are they doing?" Hope you liked! B.I.G. 


	11. Chapter 11

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Ok... so I started writing this chapter saying, "Nah! A lemon's too soon... they're nowhere near ready." Low and behold the story kept on writing itself and well... it wrote a lemon! I hope it's okay. I just kind of wrote what I felt they would do in this story. I hope you all like it. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.  
  
**Warning:**  
This chapter contains **material for mature audiences only**. If you are offended by lemon content please stop reading now. If not... well... go for it!  
  
**Chapter 11**  
  
They drove to Inuyasha's apartment quietly, the only conversation being directions. Kagome found that his apartment was only a few blocks from her own. She didn't know whether to be happy that he lived so close or be worried that she wouldn't be tempted to stay over because of his apartment's proximity to her own.  
  
She pulled up outside his apartment and got around to his side to help him out.  
  
"You know, Higurashi, I didn't break my legs," he said sarcastically.  
  
"I know that. But you've been through a rough day and I want to be here for you," she said putting an arm around his waist to help steady him while walking. He couldn't help but smile at her, a smile she never saw because she was concentrating on getting him inside safely. Had she looked up at him she would've seen the look he was giving her, one of unmistakable love.  
  
They got to his apartment without any mishap and he had no sooner unlocked the door than Fang bounded out to his master and to greet this new person. He felt Kagome stiffen slightly when the large dog came over to sniff her.  
  
"Don't worry, Kagome. Fang's harmless. He's probably just searching for some food," Inuyasha said laughing a bit at her sudden reaction to cling to him a bit more tightly. The dog came up to smell Inuyasha, probably smelling his wound, and whined. "I'm okay boy. Go lie down." The dog retreated to the corner of the living room and lowered himself onto his dog bed while Kagome helped Inuyasha into the apartment.  
  
She had him sit down on the couch and said, "How about I make you some dinner. Then we get to bed," he raised his eyebrows at her, "Get _you_ to bed. Alone!"  
  
"Freudian slip, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"I'm just tired and my brain's not working as well as it should be," she said moving to the kitchen.  
  
"I think it's working just fine if it wants us to go to bed," he said smirking.  
  
"You're lucky I don't have anything to throw at you, Taisho," she said rolling her eyes at him. She was glad he couldn't see her face for she was blushing the nice shade of a tomato.  
  
She opened the refrigerator to find the cleanest kitchen appliance ever, "Taisho! How am I supposed to make you dinner if you have no food in the house?"  
  
"I just moved in, Higurashi. Besides, I have food. There's some ramen in the cabinet to your left," he called over his shoulder. Fang had moved from his dog bed over to rest his chin on Inuyasha's knee and she saw that the husky was enjoying a good ear scratch. All she wanted to do was go over and hug him he looked so adorable!  
  
"Ramen it is then," she said searching for a pot to boil some water. While she waited for the water to heat up she went over and sat down next to Inuyasha and helped to scratch Fang. She took this chance to look around at his apartment. She saw that he really hadn't had time to settle as there were still moving boxes stacked in the living room. Only furniture had been set up along with Fang's bed and the walls were still bare.  
  
"Oh no, you did it now," Inuyasha said sleepily.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked looking at him.  
  
"He's gonna love you forever now that you scratched his ears," he said shooting her a rare smile. The dog growled contentedly, which sounded more like a purr. "See? You've made a friend."  
  
She got up when she heard the water boiling and walked around the couch. Slipping her arms around Inuyasha's neck she kissed him lightly on the cheek, "I think I've made more than a friend."  
  
He turned his head towards her, "You have?" She nodded and brought her lips to meet his in a short kiss. He tried to pull her closer but she stood up.  
  
"I have to make you something to eat. You must be starving," Kagome said walking back to the kitchen.  
  
"Food can always wait," he said to himself and also stood up.  
  
Kagome had never seen someone gulp food down so quickly when she finally set the cooked noodles in front of Inuyasha.  
  
"You know, ramen is okay for a quick bite but we'll have to get you some real food in here," she said when she finished her noodles, collecting their dishes, and going to the sink to wash them.  
  
She nearly jumped when she felt an arm encircle her waist and Inuyasha started nuzzling her neck pushing her shirt collar to the side, "What was that about a quick bite?" he asked kissing her softly on that juncture between her neck and her shoulder.  
  
"You're incorrigible!" she said slapping his arm. "Come on. Let's get you to bed. Alone!" She turned in his arms to see him giving her a puppy dog face. "Now don't look at me like that. You know you're injured and you should get rest. Besides, I want to hear about what happened today if you feel up to talking about it."  
  
She wriggled out of his arms and pushed him towards the hallway, which she guessed led to his bedroom, "You should go shower, Taisho. I'll make us some tea. You do have tea don't you?" Inuyasha pulled it out for her and then headed towards the bathroom.  
  
She heard the shower turn on and set about making tea for the two of them when Fang came up and nudged her leg whining. "Aww, poor boy. You want dinner?" The dog gave a short bark and ran over to one of the lower cupboards. Kagome opened it to find his dog food, "Smart dog. They could probably use you in the canine unit," she said laughing.  
  
After feeding and taking Fang out for a short walk, only after he barked at his leash for a few minutes, Kagome brought the two mugs of tea into Inuyasha's bedroom setting them down on a night table. The shower turned off and a few moments later Inuyasha stepped out in a towel, causing Kagome to blush furiously and turn away.  
  
Chuckling at her reaction Inuyasha said, "It's ok, Higurashi, no need to be embarrassed."  
  
She looked back at him, ready to let him have it when she bit back any comment she was about to make. _He looks so sexy_, she thought. His hair, being toweled off lightly, clung to his face and fell over his strong shoulders, letting water droplets travel down his chest. She let her eyes follow the rivulets of water down his hard body and stopped right below his navel where his hand held the towel closed.  
  
"Like what you see?" he asked smirking down at her on the bed. He noticed the slight blush that had graced her face a moment ago had spread into a heated flush. He was so mesmerized by the sight of her, lips parted slightly and a bit moist, eyes reflecting his own desire, that he never saw the pillow flying across the room until it was too late. "Ow!"  
  
"You're so arrogant, Taisho," she said rolling her eyes as the pillow hit him squarely in the face. "Get dressed, then we can talk, and then I'll head home."  
  
She got up to leave his room when his hand stopped her retreat, "Stay with me tonight." Her breath caught in her throat at his words. _Stay with him? Oh gods! He had to ask? Don't turn around! As soon as you see his face you won't be able to say no! Don't look!  
_  
She turned to look at him and knew at once it was not a question. His face gave no hint of pleading, yet didn't show a hidden meaning behind his words, "I can't Inuyasha."  
  
"I can't risk your safety tonight by letting you go home alone. You'll stay with me tonight. I'll tell you what happened to Miroku and me; we'll talk. That's it. Well, if that's all you want," he said giving her a small smile. She laughed lightly. "You can borrow some clothes and we'll go to your place in the morning so you can get cleaned up."  
  
"Inuyasha..." she said looking away from him.  
  
"Please Kagome," he begged. When she looked back up at him she couldn't take the look he was giving her. His eyes had changed and were now silently begging for her consent to stay. She couldn't help it, she felt she had to stay with him; he needed her.  
  
"You know you're very hard to say 'no' to when you look at me like that," she said sighing. "I'll stay. But I can't very well stay in this suit all night. You mentioned something about clothes?" He chuckled and started digging through his drawers.  
  
"I doubt my sweatpants could stay up on you, which I'm okay with them falling down," he said rummaging, which earned a 'pig' from Kagome. He handed her a tee shirt and boxers, "But these should fit you. Sorry I don't have anything more 'girly.'"  
  
"I'm actually relieved you don't have anything more 'girly' Taisho, it would worry me," Kagome said heading for the bathroom as he laughed loudly.  
  
She undressed quickly, folding her suit as neatly as possible. She debated whether or not to remove her bra and decided to go for it, _there's no way I could sleep like that anyway_, and pulled on Inuyasha's tee shirt. It was a little oversized since he was taller than her and it fell to her mid-thigh and the collar fell part way off her shoulder. She was lucky that the tee shirt was long because his boxers did not fit her _at all_; they simply fell off her waist when she pulled them on.  
  
She opened the door and stepped back into his bedroom to find he had switched the towel for a pair of red pajama pants and still remained shirtless. She placed her folded up clothes on a chair in the corner and walked over to him holding out the shorts.  
  
"They don't fit, but thank you," she said looking up at Inuyasha. "I think you look great just in the tee shirt," he said, causing her to blush furiously. He shrugged, took the boxers, and threw them on the chair turning back to look at her. He loved the way she looked in his shirt, small and petite, fragile yet sexy. He grabbed the clip that was keeping her hair up that day and took it out, letting her hair fall down to her shoulders.  
  
"It looks better down," Inuyasha said stroking a lock before placing it behind her ear. He was leaning closer to her when her cell phone rang. Kagome didn't realize she had been holding her breath but exhaled slowly before digging through the pile of clothes for the phone clip. Pulling it out she groaned after glancing at the number and sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Hi mom. No I'm not home yet. I'm at a friend's house just a few blocks away. A guy mom," she said rolling her eyes at Inuyasha, which made him chuckle silently, "My partner mom, remember? I told you a bit about him." Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her; _She's been talking about me?_ "Yeah, don't worry I'll get home safely. I'll call you this weekend okay? It's really busy at work. Yes, okay mom. Right. All right. Okay. Goodbye!"  
  
"You know she only wants to talk when I'm busy!" Kagome said frustrated tossing her cell into the chair.  
  
"We were busy?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Taisho!" Kagome shot at him. He feigned an over exaggerated hurt look and she laughed at him. "You know what I mean."  
  
"So, you talk about me?" he asked sitting next to her.  
  
"Yeah, I told her how I got stuck with some pain in the ass partner," Kagome said standing to go retrieve the cups of tea that lay forgotten on the nightstand.  
  
"That hurt, Kagome. You didn't get _stuck_, you were _privileged _to have a pain in the ass partner," he said trying to get her to laugh. He succeeded and she handed him his tea. "Come on. Let's go sit on the couch and I'll recap the day." He took her hand and led her back into the living room sitting down on the couch and pulling her down next to him.  
  
She listened patiently as he told her about the old man in the store, how he went to check out the back, and how the two almost identical men attacked them. He told her about him getting shot and Miroku taking out the attacker and then how he returned the favor when Miroku was struck down. He finished with him slipping into oblivion after getting into the response vehicle. Her eyes had widened throughout his telling of the story and when he finished he noticed she looked extremely angry.  
  
"You could have been killed, Taisho! I told you I should have gone! You needed more backup!" she cried setting her teacup down and turning towards him.  
  
"What would you have done, Higurashi? Probably gotten hurt!" he yelled back at her.  
  
"I can handle myself, Taisho! I've been in this unit for three years! You've been here for three days and think you can handle a situation better than I can?" she accused.  
  
"I wouldn't have been able to protect you!" he snapped at her.  
  
She stood up quickly, not knowing where to go, "It seems the only thing I need protection from is you, Inuyasha!"  
  
"Oh? And why is that?" he quipped back at her sarcastically standing up and looming down at her.  
  
"Because I don't think I can control myself around you anymore..." she said going to him. Before he could say anything her lips were on his, her hands were on his shoulders, and his heart was lost to her. Her lips were smooth, soft, and he only needed the lightest of licks from her tongue to respond to her. She whimpered lightly when he opened his mouth to her and slipped his tongue in to taste her.  
  
Inuyasha reached his hands out for her, grabbing hold of the sides of his tee shirt, and pulled her against him. She moved her hands up to tangle into his silver locks and melted her body against his. They fit together perfectly, as if each body were sculpted with the other in mind, each curve formed to compliment its mate.  
  
He moved a hand up to cup her right breast in between their bodies, gently massaging it through the light material, while his other hand pressed firmly into the small of her back so she could feel how excited he was. She gasped when she felt both sensations. Her body reacting to his touch and betraying her mind, which was telling her he needed rest. A heat was building between their bodies and neither could resist their urges to satisfy their wanting.  
  
He left the feel of her lips to trail kisses from her jaw, down her throat, and began to suckle on her pulse point. She moaned his name in a guttural voice, her need and lust being evoked.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she whispered this time, pulling away from him slightly. His face showed his disappointment. Of course she would tell him to stop. _After all, I_ am _injured_.  
  
"Let's go upstairs," she said, smiling. She was the most beautiful image of a woman Inuyasha had ever seen at that exact moment. Her eyes had grown darker with passion, the usual stormy blue orbs an almost midnight hue, her lips were swollen and moist from his kisses, and her ebony hair fell in soft waves around her face contrasting the perfect porcelain skin.  
  
"Are you sure, Spitfire?" he asked gently. He wasn't about to ruin this for them.  
  
She nodded, "Make love to me, Inuyasha."  
  
He had heard all he needed to and reached down gently and picked her up bridal style kissing her softly. He turned to walk to his bedroom when he stopped, causing Kagome to give him a confused look.  
  
He turned around, looked at the dog and said, "Fang, your bed." The dog retreated to the dog bed in the living room and lay down.  
  
"He listens well," Kagome giggled.  
  
"Yeah well, I have something better to warm my bed tonight," he said before kissing her again. She blushed at his comment her heart speeding up in pace. He brought her into the bedroom, kicking the door closed, and set her down on her feet next to the bed. "Remember when I said you looked great in my tee shirt?" she nodded, "I think you'll look even better out of it." He smirked and she blushed an even darker shade of red.  
  
He reached down and took hold of the hem of the tee shirt stopping only briefly to give her a questioning look. She answered by criss-crossing her hands onto his and helping him remove the garment, raising her arms briefly as he pulled it free.  
  
"Damn Kagome, that was _so_ sexy," he said in a husky voice, taking in the sight before him. Every inch of her was perfect, pert breasts with perfect dusky rose nipples, and a slim waist with a bellybutton that Inuyasha could not wait to kiss. Below her waist were these light blue boy cut panties. "Now those I wasn't expecting," he laughed.  
  
"Yeah well I wasn't expecting to end up here tonight," she said smiling, as she placed her hands on his chest and kissed him slowly. He lifted her up gently and placed her in the middle of his bed, his right hand gently cradling her head, never breaking the kiss, and laying his body down on his side next to her.  
  
He began placing hot kisses down her neck, to her shoulder, and continuing down to her right breast, which his hand was already softly kneading. He heard her gasping softly and she would occasionally whisper out his name, which only proved to make him harder.  
  
His kissed the top of her breast, right where it curved into a soft mound, and let his tongue linger on her smooth skin. He moved down and took a nipple gently into his mouth massaging the hardened nub with his tongue and then teasing her by tenderly running a canine over the top. He moved to her other breast and continued his ministrations.  
  
She cried out his name softly and he fought hard to keep control of himself. He moved down her body slowly, lazily running his tongue over her exposed skin. He dipped his tongue into her bellybutton and heard her gasp at the sensation. She had tangled her hands into his hair at some point and was keeping his head close to her body. He ran his tongue along the line of her panties before he ran a hand up her leg to pull them down. She wriggled underneath him to help, but he placed a hand on her hip to stay her.  
  
"Can't keep doing that, Kagome," he panted out. She giggled and let him continue removing her panties. He trailed kisses from her knee back up her inner thigh and placed a kiss in the juncture of her thighs. Kagome's breaths started coming shallowly as her head was spinning from his touch. She had never been so intimate with a man before but her body was acting as if it was second nature. It was reacting to Inuyasha, of it's own accord, as if it was made to do so. _I was made for _him_.  
_  
Inuyasha kissed his way back up her body before ending up lazily nipping and licking her neck, while his hand gently massaged her breast. Kagome pushed her body closer to his and realized when her lower body found his that he had shed his pants at some point during his travel and she felt an extremely warm and very hard member against her inner thigh. She gasped and moved her hands from his hair down to run her fingers along his back, memorizing every muscle by touch.  
  
He leaned back to look at her and found her lying their, eyes closed, body slightly flushed from passion, and lips slightly parted. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her and became embarrassed, squirming, trying to hide her body.  
  
"No, Kagome. You're beautiful," he said placing a gentle kiss upon her lips. "Everywhere. In every way." Tears began to form in her eyes and he frowned, "Don't cry, Kagome. You're even beautiful when you're crying, but you're most gorgeous when you're not." He began kissing away the stray tears that fell, kissing her eyelids, her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and finally her lips. He began trailing his fingers down her body, over her breasts, across her stomach, down her thigh and up the other. He caressed every inch of her body, loving the feel, enjoying her reaction of shivers. "Simply beautiful. Simply Kagome."  
  
She kissed him then. Pouring everything out of her soul into that kiss; her missed chances for love with Houjou, her hurt, her feelings of inadequacy at work, her lust to be touched and tasted in such a way, and finally, what she realized in a feeling of warmth bursting in her chest, her love for the man lying next to her who accepted her for what she was, _Simply Kagome_.  
  
She never knew it could happen so quickly; how feelings of hate and frustration could be turned into love and passion. She never saw it coming. Would have laughed at anyone who was to tell her it would happen. But at that moment, when Inuyasha uttered those simple words, his voice clearly expressing some deeper feeling, Kagome Higurashi fell completely in love with Inuyasha Taisho.  
  
She pulled him closer when she realized her feelings and he trailed his fingers down her body, finding her hidden jewel in her little mound of curls, and began massaging her before sliding a finger into her slick folds gently. Kagome began to moan into his mouth, her mind swirling with emotion and sensation. She arched her back to his touch and leaned her head back whimpering slightly. He kissed his way back to her breast and continued to lick, suck, and nibble her erect nipple.  
  
Kagome felt a pool of warmth building in the pit of her stomach. A fire building and building, her body unable to control the sensations she was feeling. Finally, something inside her crested and she exploded, her nails digging into his back, and she cried out his name. Inuyasha felt her orgasm and watched her ride it out; her head thrown back in the throws of passion, her breathing deep and raspy, her body flushed from her climax.  
  
He couldn't wait to take her any longer, her body was ready for him and he refused to deny her, and positioned himself between her legs. He did, however, wait a few moments for her to collect herself and when she recovered from her orgasm she looked at him hovering above him.  
  
"Kagome?" he said softly, stroking her bangs from her forehead. "You can still say no and I'll understand."  
  
"I want you, Inuyasha," she responded in an unsteady voice. "I want _only_ you."  
  
He leaned down and kissed her a small chaste kiss and pulled back from her again.  
  
"This will change everything, Kagome," he told her, his eyes full of emotion that he couldn't express to her verbally.  
  
"It better," she said breathlessly. "Because I've already fallen in love with you, Inuyasha Taisho."  
  
He leaned down and claimed her lips in a soul-shattering kiss, while positioning himself and entering her slowly. He was surprised at how tight she was, that is, until he hit her barrier. He broke their kiss and looked at her wide-eyed.  
  
"Kagome? You're a virgin?" he asked. She looked up at him, her face reflecting the ice-cold fear that had wedged its way into her stomach. She nodded and a single tear rolled down from her eye. "Don't cry, Kagome. Please?" he pleaded, kissing her tear away again. "I just didn't know. I wouldn't have practically forced you to bed if I knew."  
  
His eyes were sad, almost regretful. She lifted a hand and stroked his cheek gently; "No one forced me to your bed, Inuyasha. I came willingly. I want you. I_ need_ you. And trust me when I say, I have never said that to _any_ man in _any_ circumstance. But I can feel it," her voice cracked over a sob, "I need you _so_ much, Inuyasha. Please? Be my first?"  
  
"Kagome, I should be the one begging you," he said, nuzzling her cheek, and then whispering softly into her ear, "May I be your first?"  
  
She placed both hands upon his cheeks and whispered back, "Only you, Inuyasha." He kissed her again, more gently than before, and slowly rocked into her breaking her maidenhead and taking her virginity. She cried out in pain, although her cry was muffled by Inuyasha's kiss, and her tears came more easily. He remained still until he knew she was ready to continue. He kissed her lips gently and saw she was crying from the pain and gently wiped her cheeks dry. He whispered soothing things to her and finally she moved her hips underneath him.  
  
They made love slowly and sensually the first time, never rushing, and always trying to savor each other's touch, memorizing the feel of each other's body. They began to work up a heat that radiated between their bodies. Inuyasha lazily licked every inch of Kagome's body that he could, placing kisses all over her neck, and she in turn ran her hands all over his body, tangling them in his hair and then tracing patterns down his back.  
  
The heat pooled in Kagome's stomach for a second time that night and Inuyasha could feel her body beginning to tense against his. He began to increase his rhythm, pumping in and out of her making her moan in pleasure. He reached up and cupped her face in his hands, gently stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. She reached up herself and brushed his bangs from his face and looked at him, eyes bright with love.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her again, nibbling softly on her lower lip. He felt her walls tighten around him and right before they climaxed together he whispered, "I love you, Kagome," while looking deep into her eyes. She arched her back when she felt the wave of pleasure coming over her, pressing her body to his. She called out his name as she climaxed and he knew at that moment it was the best thing he heard in his life.   
  
When they both came down Inuyasha pulled out of her slowly and lying down on his side pulled her to him, face-to-face, body-to-body, legs intertwined. They lay there, bodies flushed and glistening from their pleasures, and occasionally caressed and kissed each other. They whispered things softly to each other, and made love again that night before falling asleep in their lover's arms after pulling a blanket up over them. They had escaped for a few hours with each other, forgetting that Inuyasha had been attacked earlier, forgetting that Kagome's life was in danger, forgetting that there was a world outside their own for those few brief moments.  
  
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Wow! I think this is by far MY favorite chapter. I don't know about you all. I know... kind of fluffy... maybe a bit unrealistic... but it's more real than you all think. It took me two days to write it, I got really stuck on how to move into the lemon, but once there this thing wrote itself. I hope you all like it. If not, that's cool. Let me know either way. R & R! BakaInuGirl (I really loved this chapter!)


	12. Chapter 12

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Here's the next installment. I hope people like this. I was a little nervous posting the lemon. It's so hard to gauge people's reactions on here. But I'll keep plugging along anyhow. So here's chapter 12! Oh! And a little morning-after lemon for some to enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu & Co.  
  
**Warning: This chapter contains material not suitable for younger readers and was intended for mature audiences only!  
  
Chapter 12**  
  
Kagome began to wake, stirring slowly from that grayness of sleep, aware that if she were to open her eyes she'd be blinded by sunshine. Her legs were extremely sore, but her clouded mind could not comprehend why. _I didn't push myself too much working out yesterday with Sango.  
_  
She stretched her aching legs slowly when she realized they were entangled with someone else's. What frightened her more was she realized that she was lying there, intertwined with someone, completely bare. Her eyes shot open, automatically hurting from the bright light that filtered through the windows, and darted around the room. She wasn't home, she wasn't in her bed, and that was_ not_ her arm around her waist._ Inuyasha.  
_  
She began to relax as she remembered the events of the night before. He had been so tender, so loving, _so_ perfect. She frowned. _Nothing is perfect. Oh gods! What if he thinks it's a mistake?  
_  
She rolled over gently, trying not to wake him just yet, and looked at him. He looked so peaceful lying there, holding her in his arms, as if that was exactly where she should always be. She began thinking of his touch last night, his soft caresses, leaving fire on her skin in their wake. She remembered how he had touched her so intimately and the thought sent heat immediately to her core. He had been the first to touch her, to taste her, to take her. _But what if he regrets it now?  
_  
She had confessed that she was in love with him. _You're such a fool! You barely_ know _him. You'll probably scare him away. He'll go right in this morning for a transfer!_  
  
_But he said he loved you_, her mind argued. _In the throws of passion!_ She argued back. _Guys say anything!_  
  
_You know that's not true. You could see it...you could feel it... you could taste it. He loves you. Simply Kagome._  
  
That did it. Her heart melted all over again for him. She had been trying so hard to build that wall up again, only to have it come crashing down at the memory of his words. She reached up and caressed his face, his brow, his lips. She wanted him again.  
  
Kagome leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his lips. He was warm, alive. She placed tender kisses on his jaw, moving down his neck, suckling on the pulse point that throbbed steadily with his heartbeat. She could have sworn it sped up as she continued to lick him. She would occasionally nip the soft skin of his shoulder or neck only to soothe it with her tongue languidly.  
  
She never noticed that her left hand had gone wandering over his body, her fingers leaving feather-light caresses all over his body. She traced random patterns over his chest, his abs, around to his back and up to his shoulders. She didn't even know he was awake until he moaned her name into her hair and his own hand started tracing lazy patterns on her back.  
  
She pulled back from him quickly, becoming embarrassed by how carried away she had gotten.  
  
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I didn't mean to wake you," she said looking down, her face turning a shade of crimson.  
  
"Are you kidding? That was the best wake up call I ever got! Don't be sorry, Kagome," he said reaching a hand up to cup her face.  
  
All of her fears she had thought earlier came flooding back now that he was awake and she didn't doubt he saw it reflected in her eyes. He looked at her, frowning slightly, "Don't tell me you're regretting last night?" he asked. She saw hurt clearly expressed in his eyes.  
  
She shook her head adamantly, wanting to prove him wrong, "Never, Inuyasha. I meant everything last night. I want you. I'm just afraid that..." she trailed off.  
  
"That I'd be an asshole?" he asked smirking at her. She giggled lightly and nodded her head slowly. He leaned closer to her and placed a small kiss on her forehead reassuring her. "I will never regret anything from last night, Kagome. But I was being honest when I said this changes everything."  
  
She looked down again, tears forming in her blue eyes. She knew it. As soon as she let her guard down, let someone even remotely close to her heart, she'd be hurt.  
  
"Because I don't think I'll be able to stay away from you, even at the office," he said smiling down at her. He hated to see her upset but he loved teasing her. She looked up at him surprise crossing her face. She pulled him to her quickly claiming his lips making him feel the relief that flooded her body. He pulled back slightly to look at her. She was smiling radiantly at him.  
  
"Gods, how I love you, Kagome," he said before kissing her gently. "I meant it last night. I mean it this morning. I want you so badly."  
  
"How can you love me, Inuyasha? You barely know me," she said quietly, almost as if she didn't want to hear his answer, afraid he would realize that all he felt was lust.  
  
"Kagome, I know you better than you think," he said pulling away from her a bit so that she could see his sincerity. "I fell in love with you that first day I saw you. Looked right into your eyes and fell into their depths, lost to you. But it was forbidden. You were forbidden. And I had to sit back and watch as all those punks in your class make passes at you." He said this with a growl and she giggled remembering that anyone who would even glance in her direction would get an extra running mile, but she always thought he did that with all the female students, kind of protecting them from lechers like Miroku.  
  
"But I saw how strong you were. Other instructors would always comment on your abilities and I would feel the sudden urge to attack them for even speaking your name," she looked up at him surprised.  
  
"A little possessive, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
"Protective is all," he said smirking at her. "I knew that one day I would be with you, _had_ to be with you." He ran his hand up around her side and began stroking her breast with his thumb. She closed her eyes at his touch and he place soft kisses on her shoulder. "You were made for me, Kagome. Can't you feel it?" he whispered in her ear. All she could respond was a soft whimper of agreement.  
  
He placed open-mouthed kisses from her shoulder, down to the valley between her breasts, and finally stopping on the nipple he was so enthusiastically rubbing and sucked lightly. Kagome tried to collect her thoughts, but her mind turned numb every time he touched her. She was able to hold onto some control and decided he should enjoy her touch as well.  
  
She ran her hands over his body once more, soft caresses over every muscle in his body, until she reached down and brushed his member, hard and erect, with the lightest of touches from her fingertips. She reached for the tip, found a bead of moisture already collected there, and encircled her slender fingers around his shaft. Inuyasha looked up at her when he felt her warmth around him.  
  
"Kagome," he whispered closing his eyes in ecstasy at her touch. She leaned over him, forcing him to lie on his back and removed the blanket from their heated bodies, exposing them to the cool morning air. She continued her attentions from before placing hot kisses from his jaw, down his chest, and over his abs until her mouth, moist from its travel, brushed the tip of his throbbing erection.  
  
"Oh gods!" Inuyasha gasped and fisted a hand into her hair. She smiled against him and snaked her tongue, lightly rolling it around the tip. She heard him moan and grew bolder, running her tongue down his shaft to the base and then back up swirling her tongue around him. She did this once more before moving back up his body to straddle him. He looked at her, desire flashing across his eyes, causing her breath to catch in her throat.  
  
"We should see just how well I was made for you," she said, her voice raspy from want. She guided him to her core and took him in one fluid motion, gasping as he filled her more completely than before. She began rocking into him gently and he moved his hands to her hips to help with the rhythm.  
  
She ran her hands up her body, stopping only briefly to run her fingertips over her erect nipples and then moving up through her hair. Inuyasha, barely keeping control at the sight of her touching herself, began thrusting into her deeper and faster. Kagome gasped when she felt him deeply inside her and brought her hips down to meet him.  
  
Inuyasha moved one hand off her hip and glided it up her body to grasp a breast, kneading it roughly. Kagome covered his hand with her own joining him in the activity, which caused him to close his eyes and moan her name. He opened his eyes again to see her head thrown back, her lips parted in a gasp, and her eyes shut tightly. He knew she was close to orgasm from her tightening muscles surrounding him, but he wanted her to remember these moments all day. So, he let his hand leave her hip to slowly drift to the perfect bundle of nerves that would ensure her descent into ecstasy.  
  
He focused his eyes on her face before he began rubbing the jewel with his thumb. Her head shot up immediately, her mouth forming a small 'oh' of surprise before the first sensation of pleasure registered in her mind.  
  
"Inuyasha!" she screamed, her other hand reaching down to grab his wrist, making sure his touch would not leave her body. She bucked against him and he began rubbing her faster as he slammed into her as hard as he could. Her thoughts had become incoherent because of the stirrings building inside her. The heated knot that had built up before was now fighting its way to the surface.  
  
She couldn't separate the different sensations he was causing her to feel and her mind formed one coherent understanding for them; Inuyasha was making her feel and she never wanted it to stop.  
  
Kagome arched her back and cried a broken version of her lover's name into the room when she climaxed. Her inner walls contracted causing Inuyasha to follow suit and shooting his seed deep within her. Kagome collapsed onto Inuyasha, completely spent from their lovemaking, and he wrapped his arms around her, occasionally placing a small kiss atop her head.  
  
They lay there breathless, their bodies still connected, enjoying the warmth radiating between them. After catching her breath, Kagome moved from Inuyasha and lay curled up by his side. He turned to her and kissed her softly.  
  
"I've waited three years for that," he whispered to her. She smiled up at him, "I've been waiting longer." He laughed at her comment and pulled her close. She laid her head upon his chest and was tracing patterns on his stomach when she asked lazily, "What time is it, Inuyasha?" He looked over at the nightstand, "Quarter to eight."  
  
"Quarter to eight?" she yelled, sitting up quickly. "Inuyasha we have to get to work!"  
  
"Calm down. We have a little over an hour," he said reaching for her, but she pulled away. He sat up with her.  
  
"I still have to double back to my apartment to change, Inuyasha. I can't very well go in wearing one of your tee shirts!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, I don't know, I'd kind of enjoy that," he said smirking at her.  
  
She shoved him gently and he grabbed her arm before falling back on the bed, bringing her with him. She started laughing, "I'm serious, Inuyasha. Can we go shower?" He raised an eyebrow briefly, but was out of bed and sweeping her into his arms before she knew what hit her.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking extremely surprised.  
  
"You asked if we could go shower. I'm getting us in there as quickly as possible. After all, we _are_ late for work!" he said smiling at her. She opened her mouth to protest but he kissed her before she could refuse. He swept her into the bathroom and set her down on the tile, never relinquishing her lips.  
  
He broke from her to turn the water on and placed her in the shower, making her scream, "It's freezing!" He leapt in after her, "Well, then I'll just have to keep you warm." Before she could respond he had claimed her lips again. Pulling away from her and turning her so she stood with her back to him, he reached for shampoo and started to wash her hair gently. He massaged the shampoo in and then gently rinsed it out, keeping suds away from her eyes, and then reached for a washcloth and began washing her body.  
  
_He's so rough on the outside, but so gentle with me_, thought Kagome. She watched him as he ran the washcloth over her shoulders and reached around to get her back, his breath tickling her ear. He carefully washed each of her perfect breasts, fighting hard not to use his tongue as well, and washed her arms and belly.  
  
She was surprised when he actually bent down and gently washed her already wet folds, and gasped when the washcloth was run over her sacred jewel. He smiled at her reaction to him and placed a kiss there, letting his tongue reach out and tease her. Knowing that she would be angry if they were late for work he continued washing her, promising himself that he would finish what he started later. He finished washing her in a few minutes and completed the favor by placing a chaste kiss on her lips. She started to reach for the washcloth to return the favor when Inuyasha shook his head. She frowned at his reaction.  
  
"That was for you, Kagome. Besides, I know for a fact that if you were to do that to me, we would _definitely_ be late for work," he said kissing her again. She giggled at his innuendo but conceded. He reached out of the shower and grabbed a towel for her. Helping her out he told her she could change into something of his if she wanted, and he'd be out in a few minutes. She nodded and dried off first in the bathroom, completely aware that he would be watching.  
  
"Tease!" he called from the shower and she giggled and left him to his shower. She went over to the set of drawers he had retrieved clothes for her from the night before and started digging through the items searching for something that would fit. She found a red hoodie and a pair of black track shorts with a drawstring so she could tie them tight enough so they wouldn't fall down. She searched the bedroom briefly to find where he had thrown her underwear the night before and spotted them at the foot of the bed. She got dressed quickly and was towel drying her hair when he came out of the bathroom. She flipped her head up, her wet hair falling over her face, to see him staring at her.  
  
"You look so damn _sexy_ in my clothes, Kagome. I mean, you look better out of them, but..." he never got to finish his sentence because Kagome threw her towel at his head.  
  
"Get dressed, Inuyasha. Does Fang get fed in the morning? I could take him out real quick," she said moving towards his door.  
  
"Kuso! I forgot to feed him last night!" he exclaimed. She held up his hand, "He showed me where his food was last night while you were showering. I am good for something you know," she said smiling at him. He moved over to her quickly and lifted her up to his height, "You're good for a lot more, Kagome," he said huskily, and pulled her to him for a kiss.  
  
She pulled back from him shortly afterward, "So? Should I take him out?"  
  
"Walk, yes. Food, no, his vet has him on a diet, don't ask me why, he's a dog for Kami's sake," he said placing her down on the floor. She winked at him before slipping out of the room. She turned around to see Fang sitting directly outside the door with his leash.  
  
"You know, I really _do_ think they could use you in the unit!" she said laughing and putting his leash on. She found a pair of slippers by the door, red of course, and slipped them on before taking the dog outside. A few minutes later she walked back into the apartment to see a fully dressed Inuyasha. He was wearing a navy blue pinstriped suit and he had braided his still somewhat wet hair back for the day. She was really tempted to call in sick but knew her conscience would win out and she'd go into work.  
  
"Ready to swing by your apartment?" he asked. She let Fang off his leash, kicked Inuyasha's slippers off, and said, "Let me just grab my stuff from your room and I'll be ready."  
  
She came back out of his bedroom carrying her pile of clothes and sporting her heels. Laughing she said, "I think this look is hot, Inuyasha! Track shorts and heels. I think I'm gonna be able to scare the bad guys away this morning with just my outfit."  
  
He pulled her close, "You look hot in anything, Kagome. And it's more like you'll have to fight guys off." She laughed at him.  
  
"Be careful, Taisho, or you're going to need another cold shower before you get to work," she pulled away from him and walked towards the door.  
  
They got outside and to her car when Inuyasha grabbed her from behind and placed a kiss on her neck. "Just get in the car, Inuyasha," she said laughing at him and pushing him away.  
  
She drove quickly to her apartment, seeing that time was against them that morning, and nearly dragged Inuyasha up to her place leaving him in the doorway while she ran to her room to get ready.  
  
"There's some tea on the counter and cups in the cupboard if you want to make us two cups!" she called from the bedroom. He chuckled slightly and set to work boiling the water and setting up two cups of tea.  
  
She ran out of her room a few minutes later and Inuyasha almost dropped his mug when he saw her. She was wearing a dark green suit, with a cream button down blouse, the buttons barely fastened above her breastbone, and a matching skirt that fell to her mid thigh. He saw there was a small slit on the side of the skirt that allowed him to see the lace border of her thigh highs. She left her hair down, which fell in ebony waves around her shoulders, and Inuyasha thought that cold shower sounded really good at that moment before he took her on the kitchen table.  
  
"I see you like the power suit, Taisho," she said smirking up at him as she walked over to retrieve her tea.  
  
"Power suit?" he asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh yeah. I question suspects when wearing this suit, and I have absolute power over them," she said leaning close to him, flicking her tongue over his earlobe.  
  
"Well then maybe you can help me question the old guy from the store. If you have the same effect on him as you do on me he'll be writing you a book by the afternoon," Inuyasha suggested.  
  
She laughed lightly and gave him a short kiss, "Come on, Taisho. I'm sure enough rumors will be flying around when we both walk in together."  
  
"Hey, more people should carpool these days, it's economically responsible," he said smirking at her.  
  
"This from a man who drives a motorcycle that uses just as much gas as my jeep," she retorted shaking her head and dragging him towards the door.  
  
They got to headquarters with a few minutes to spare and Inuyasha was not wasting his free time with Kagome. He grabbed her as she was walking to the building and pulled her up against the car.  
  
"Come over tonight," he asked her, nuzzling her neck. She giggled.  
  
"We just left your place a half hour ago!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I don't care, Kagome. Please? Tonight?" he begged.  
  
"I'll let you know later," she said and when he gave her a disappointed look she added, "Keep it up and I'll say 'no'." He nodded and gave her one last kiss before they went inside.  
  
They made it through security considerably faster than Inuyasha had the day before and into the office to find things running as usual, only they were different. With one final look between the two lovers they sat at their respective desks and began the workday.  
  
Kagome had barely emptied her briefcase when Sango was at her cubicle.  
  
"Kagome! I have the most wonderful news! Houshi's doing much better. He's taking some time off to recover, but he asked me the most wonderful question and... oh my god, Kagome! YOU HAD SEX!" the young woman cried aloud causing the entire office, including Inuyasha to swivel towards the two female agents.  
  
Kagome felt herself turning a deep shade of read when one thought shot through her head, _Help me, Inuyasha!_ When no help came she sat back and waited for the questions to start flying her way.  
  
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So here's Ch. 12! Hope you all like! Don't worry I'll be getting back to the case in the next chapter, I couldn't very well have them in bed and then boom back to action. Oh well, hope y'all like it! Let me know! R & R! B.I.G. 


	13. Chapter 13

Agent Under Fire  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu & Co.  
  
**Chapter 13  
**  
Kagome immediately turned a deep shade of scarlet at Sango's exclamation. Her mouth hung open and darted around the room at all the faces staring at her. _How had she known? Oh gods, everyone's gonna know now!  
_  
"Um... well... you see, Sango," Kagome began but was unable to finish her sentence as Sango dragged her up out of the chair and towards the ladies' room. Making sure no one was actually in the bathroom she turned back to Kagome.  
  
"You mean I was right?" Sango asked her eyes widening.  
  
"What do you mean were you right? I thought you knew!?" Kagome exclaimed.  
  
"Well, I guessed really. You had such a dreamy look on your face and your wearing your power-bitch suit and you only break that out when you're trying to get someone's attention," Sango commented. "So? If you did I better get the low-down!"  
  
"Sango!" Kagome breathed running a hand over her face. "I couldn't... wouldn't... know where to begin!" she said smiling.  
  
"Well, let's start with who," Sango said quietly.  
  
"You _know_ who, Sango," Kagome whispered blushing slightly.  
  
"Kagome! Taisho??" Sango yelled. Kagome was sure anyone in a ten-foot radius from the ladies' room door had heard the shout. She nodded silently and then the tirade of questions began. "Kagome! This is big! He was your first? How did he take it? How was it? Did you like it? Is he... you know?"  
  
Kagome was completely flustered from the questions but answered them in order slowly, "Yes, he was my first. He took it... wonderfully. It was... beautiful. I loved every moment. And he's... I'm NOT TELLING!"  
  
"You're secret's safe with me, Kagome. Besides, you know about me and Miroku," Sango said, a big smile suddenly crossing her face. Kagome wondered what her friend was so excited about.  
  
"So, Sango? You came up to my desk really excited this morning? Not your usual 'Don't talk to me till I've had a cup of coffee' self. What's up? You said Miroku asked you something?"  
  
"Oh! That's why I came to you this morning!" Sango said clapping her hands together. "Miroku is feeling much better. Dr. Wolfe says he's on his way to a healthy recovery."  
  
Kagome raised her eyebrows and twirled her hand signaling Sango to continue faster with her news.  
  
"So, I sat with him the whole night in the recovery room. I sort of fell asleep at some point and when I woke up he was staring at me. Asked if I had stayed the whole night. 'Of course I did', I told him, 'I love you.'"  
  
"Aww, Sango," Kagome said reaching out to take her friend's hand.  
  
"I told him how worried I was for him, that I couldn't live without him, didn't know what I'd do if something worse had happened," Sango remembered, looking saddened. Her face brightened a bit at the next thought, "Then he asked me."  
  
"Asked you what, Sango?" Kagome wondered.  
  
Sango looked at Kagome, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, "To marry him!"  
  
"That's wonderful! Kami, Sango, you said 'yes' right?!" Kagome asked hugging her friend tightly.  
  
"How could I say no? I love him!" Sango said, beaming. She wiped away her tears and started laughing, "Now all I have to do is break the news to the lieutenant."  
  
Kagome started laughing too, "Good thing Miroku's injured all ready. Otherwise the lieu would kill him for corrupting one of his best agents."  
  
"Oh, but the way he corrupts," Sango said dreamily.  
  
"Eww! Sango!" Kagome laughed walking out of the bathroom.  
  
They walked back to the office, Sango's outburst moments before forgotten by most, except one agent who kept his silver covered head low. Kagome and Sango moved back to their desks and when Kagome sat down Inuyasha leaned back in his chair and mouthed 'Are you ok?' to Kagome. She nodded and returned to the paperwork she was desperately trying to get through the day before.  
  
"Higurashi? Time to go question the old man from the store. I need to find out what the hell's going on here so I can find Rin and protect you," Inuyasha said, stepping into Kagome's cubicle.  
  
"Be careful, Taisho. You were shot yesterday, don't forget, and if you go running after this guy you may be hurt more seriously," she responded, casting her eyes down so he wouldn't see her worry.  
  
"Kagome?" he whispered. She looked at him, tears forming in her eyes. "I could never leave you, you know that. I'll be careful."  
  
She nodded, trying to hold her tears back. "I can go with you for the questioning? I can put off the oh-so-entertaining paperwork for later," Kagome said standing up. "Besides, they should have coffee down in the hold, and after this morning I need a cup."  
  
"Yeah, by the way..." he started to ask about her and Sango's conversation.  
  
"Don't even ask. I'll explain on the way downstairs," Kagome said holding up her hand. They walked out of the office, passing Sango's desk, and catching her smirk.  
  
When they were safely out of hearing range from anyone in the office Kagome whispered, "They're engaged."  
  
"No shit! Really?" Inuyasha asked and Kagome nodded.  
  
"And she knows about us," Kagome said looking away from him.  
  
"How much?" Inuyasha asked smirking at her.  
  
"Just enough," Kagome answered throwing his smirk back at him. She headed off down the hall leaving him to contemplate her answer.  
  
"'Just enough?' What is that supposed to mean, Higurashi?" he called to her back.  
  
They got down to the hold a few minutes later. The suspect was uncooperative and had suddenly suffered a mild case of amnesia. Inuyasha had been in a rage questioning the old man, but he simply sat there with a vacant expression on his face trying his damndest to remember the events of the day before.  
  
Kagome tried to play good cop, asking the old man nicely if he knew anything of Rin's disappearance or how it was connected to his shop, but the man swore up and down that he didn't know of the girl's disappearance. That's when Kagome got mad.  
  
"You sick sonofabitch!" she yelled at him. "A little girl will be killed unless you open your mouth and say something! Do you know what that's like? What if it were your granddaughter?"  
  
Something flashed in the old man's eyes when she said this, "She will not die," he said barely above a whisper. Inuyasha grabbed the man by his shirt, bringing him close to his face. His eyes burned with pure hatred and rage for this man who had been toying with them.  
  
"What did you say, old man?" Inuyasha said through gritted teeth.  
  
"She will not die. He wants something. From both of you," Inuyasha let the man go. _Wants something? From both of us?_ He looked at Kagome.  
  
"What could he want from the two of us?" Kagome asked tentatively.  
  
"Not you two. The brothers," he said quietly looking around him, as though someone could be listening.  
  
Inuyasha knew he was talking about he and Sesshoumaru. But what could he want?  
  
"What does he want?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Power," the old man responded.  
  
Inuyasha had had enough. This man wasn't helping. Running them around in circles, really.  
  
"Higurashi. We're done here," Inuyasha said coldly, causing Kagome to look at him in surprise. She followed him out of the room and into another where they could see the old man sitting in the room through a two-way mirror.  
  
"Inuyasha?" she asked softly.  
  
"How can I give him power? Sesshoumaru I can understand he has power in the Senate. But what can I give him?" he asked more to himself than to Kagome. He placed a hand over his eyes and then growled loudly, "What can I do Kagome?!" he yelled.  
  
She reached a hand out to touch his shoulder, "The best you can do, Inuyasha. He said she'd be safe. We can get to her. We'll contain him for another day. I'm sure he'll talk once he sees that he's safe from that bastard."  
  
Inuyasha sighed and looked at her, fear, anger, and hatred swimming in his eyes, "I'm gonna kill this motherfucker when we find him. Rip his heart out through his throat and squeeze it in front of his face."  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said reaching for him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging tightly. "I'll be with you when you do." She smiled against his chest.  
  
He chuckled slightly, "Thanks, Kagome. I'll let you get a squeeze in too if you want?"  
  
She smiled up at him and placed a light kiss on his cheek, "You have to calm down though, Taisho. Cool heads solve cases."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he said pulling away from her. "Come on. Maybe we can find something else in the files. Maybe this isn't the first time this guy has been doing this."  
  
They walked out of the small observation room, signaling to the guard to escort the man back to his containment cell. The guard opened the door, signaling for the man to leave the room. The old man shuffled out and down the hallway with the guard following close behind.  
  
There were very few surveillance cameras in this area, for those special individuals who needed the truth beat out of them. If there had been cameras set up near the cells they would have seen a guard pulling a syringe from his pocket and stabbing the old man in front of him. As it was, it looked to the guard keeping watch like the old man had fainted, probably from an intense questioning.  
  
The guard escorting the old man dragged him into his cell and shut the door. The guard walked down the hallway and passed the guard keeping watch that day, saying goodbye for he was now off duty. The guard changed out of his uniform in a nearby locker room, discarded the used clothes in a trash receptacle, and walked out of headquarters. No one glanced his way; no one said goodbye as he left for the day, and it wasn't until many hours later that anyone realized the old man was dead.  
  
------ ------- ------ ------- -------- -------- ------- --------  
  
Hey y'all! I'm sorry this is so short but I'm headed to Florida in an hour. Didn't want to leave you guys with absolutely nothing for a week. Anyways, like I said before I'll be writing during my free time down there, if there's free time. Anyhoo! R&R I really love your comments! Constructive ones too! I try to answer as many of your questions in the story as quickly as possible but I couldn't give it all away! Well, be back in a week y'all! Enjoy! BakaInuGirl 


	14. Chapter 14

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: Hey y'all! Back from Florida! It was great! I thought I'd have tons of ideas down there and I'd be able to write lots but it turns out I barely got two chapters out! And those might even turn into one depending on their length. Anyhoo. Here's the next update for AUF. R&R!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu & Co.  
  
**Chapter 14  
**  
A dark shadow of a man walked quickly through the crowded streets. No one looked at him and most that did wished they never had. Although he was tall, shadows played across his features ads though he was lurking through the darkness.  
  
He had long black hair braided back neatly and was dressed in dark slacks and a black long sleeved shirt. It was his eyes that scared anyone that glanced his way.  
  
His eyes held so much venom, so much hatred, that they burned a deep scarlet. Now, most anyone who had a glimpse of the man's eyes would laugh it off thinking, _It must be the glare from the sun,_ for after all, no one could have eyes that blazed red.  
  
But deep down in their hearts they were afraid to believe what they had seen, because most people would go insane if they knew they had viewed evil in its truest form.  
  
He hailed a cab at the corner of the street, gave the driver the address, and when they arrived left the cabbie with barely a quarter to spare for a tip.  
  
"Don't hurt yourself, buddy," the driver said looking at his common passenger.  
  
The man looked up at the cabbie, straight into his eyes, and started to laugh. His laugh was dark and sinister, almost maniacal. As he continued to laugh the driver began to scream; a horrible shrieking sound as though he was being murdered.  
  
The dark man got out of the cab and closed the door just as the driver sped the car away. He got to the door of his destination in time to hear the sound of a car crash and strangers screaming. Some ran to the sight of the crash, trying to lend assistance, only to see a cap driver bleeding crimson blood from empty eye sockets, his eyes seemingly burned out.  
  
The man walked into the building and to a set of elevators and got in, pressing the number six. The elevator opened into one very large room. The room seemed to have martial arts equipment and a workout area on one side of the room, lining the wall. Near the windows there was a small workstation; a cluttered desk, a small filing cabinet. But the most amazing point of the large room was the wall facing the elevators.  
  
The wall had been covered with a huge tapestry woven with great intricacy and detail. The tapestry itself was covered with photographs, computer printouts, charts, timelines and other items. There was one part of the tapestry that remained uncovered, depicting the downfall of a demon during the warring era of the world. The demon was disguised, wearing the pelt of a baboon and its attackers were covered with paperwork.  
  
The dark man moved towards the wall and stood glaring at the people portrayed in the photographs. He had captured the images of four young persons walking out of a café, a man and a woman leaving a vast home surrounded by a tall iron fence, a couple kissing in a dark alleyway, and the final images were those of young lovers caught up in the throws of passion.  
  
One that particularly caught the interest of the man was of the young woman, in the darkened bedroom, riding her lover, her head thrown back, her raven hair cascading down in waves, and her mouth parted in a cry of ecstasy. This one, the man took great pleasures in, often, and wanted more than anything to change the young woman's cry of passion into a scream of fear. Fear. The man's glare slit into a sadistic grin.  
  
He moved to pull the tapestry aside revealing a hidden room that would have been used as an office had the space been utilized as a firm. The windows had been darkened from the view of surrounding buildings, and the room looked similar to the old man's store with tapestries and armor decorating the walls. Weapons were lined up along the bottom of one wall.  
  
Coming into the room the man noticed three dark figures on the floor. Lighting a lamp, he saw that two of the figures were the men from the attack yesterday. The third figure was the crumpled form of a small girl, blindfolded, gagged, and at the moment unconscious.  
  
"Did you get the old man?" the smaller of the two asked.  
  
"Yes you fool. I should have known not to send you two to finish a job," the dark man snapped back.  
  
"We would have, if those feds didn't show up, Naraku," the shorter man commented.  
  
"No more excuses, Kageroumaru," the man held up his hand to silence his hired assassin. "I wanted the old man dead before he said to much. He's already spoken to that dog and his bitch!"  
  
"You want us to kill them?" Kageroumaru asked.  
  
"You fool! You won't touch them! I will handle them," Naraku said looking over the sleeping girl, "and make them bend to my will!"  
  
------ ------ ------- ------ ------- ------- ------- ---------  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome had been going through the Yukari and Shirakawa cases for hours and ha come up with very few leads. The girls were in no way related. The Yukari girl had no family in government. They _did_, however, find that Congressman's daughter was last seen with the girl she babysat for: Rin. Inuyasha called Sesshoumaru to find out where the girls had gone that day, knowing his older brother would have sent a guard to tail his daughter, no matter how trusting a babysitter was.  
  
He spoke to Kagura briefly and found out they had gone for ice cream and to a park to play. Inuyasha thanked her for helping as much as she could, hung up, and turned to Kagome.  
  
"Well that was about as helpful as getting shot yesterday," Inuyasha said.  
  
"Inuyasha, we'll find her. You mentioned in the conversation they went to a park. We could go there see if the guy left something," she said hopefully.  
  
Her desk phone rang as she barely finished her thought.  
  
"Higurashi... what? When? We'll be right down!" she said hurriedly slamming down the receiver. Turning to Inuyasha he saw she was chalk white.  
  
"What Kagome?" he asked quietly.  
  
"The old man's dead," she breathed.  
  
"What? We just left him two hours ago?!" Inuyasha yelled.  
  
"Come on, let's go," she said grabbing his wrist.  
  
"Where? The hold?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head, "The morgue."  
  
"Oh no!" he said stopping in his tracks.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked looking back at him.  
  
"Not near dead people, no ma'am," he answered backing away slightly.  
  
"Taisho! You're an agent for Kami's sake!" she said exasperated.  
  
"Yeah, I'm an agent. I've been one for four days! That doesn't mean I can just go and be around dead bodies!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Actually, Taisho, that's exactly what it means. You get paid to file away cases, find missing persons, and look at dead people. Occasionally you get to fire a gun," Kagome said counting these off on her fingers.  
  
"Higurashi," Inuyasha said dangerously low.  
  
She stepped towards him and whispered, "Come on Inu, I'll come over tonight if you come downstairs with me."  
  
He blinked at the nickname but began to move again when Kagome pulled on his hand.  
  
They got down to the morgue and were let in to see the body. Kagome turned to the coroner after doing a brief overview of the body, "What did the blood test come back to say?"  
  
"The results haven't come back yet. But it seems his muscles seized up in moments, including his heart and brain stem," the coroner explained.  
  
"Poison?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Most likely. I just don't know what yet. I haven't started the actual autopsy yet if you want to stay to see result," the coroner suggested.  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha who had been standing against the wall the whole time looking a bit green.  
  
"No, we need to do some work off site today. But I want to know what substance was used and where it could have come from," she said walking towards Inuyasha.  
  
"Might want to check the hold. No one's come in and no one's come out besides you two," the coroner suggested.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha stopped in their tracks. _No one came in.  
_  
"Guard?" Inuyasha whispered to Kagome.  
  
"Oh gods, Taisho. Was he here?" Kagome breathed. They both thanked the coroner for showing them the body and headed off to the hold.  
  
------ -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------  
  
"Who is that?" Inuyasha asked the security guard reviewing the tapes from the entrance of the holding cells.  
  
"I don't know. The badge swiped says 'Joe Baker.' But that ain't Joe," the man answered.  
  
They had been reviewing the tapes for about twenty minutes and didn't see anyone enter or exit the holding area except the one guard.  
  
"Why isn't there any closer footage?" Kagome asked.  
  
"We don't have cameras set up near the cells. Just inside and at the entrance to the area," the guard answered.  
  
"Can we get a closer image of his face?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
The camera operator zoomed the image in and Kagome gasped when his face came into focus.  
  
"He looks dead, Inuyasha," she whispered blindly groping for his hand.  
  
"No, Kagome," he answered lowly and squeezing her hand, "he is death. Let's get this image cleaned up. We'll send it over to archives see if they can get a match. Higurashi, let's go."  
  
Inuyasha lead them out of the security office and outside the building.  
  
"Where are we going, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked after they had been walking for a few minutes.  
  
"I don't know. I just needed to get out of there," he said. "He was _there_! Right _fucking_ there!"  
  
Kagome started to whimper causing Inuyasha to turn towards her.  
  
"Oh gods, Kagome, I'm sorry I yelled. I just can't believe he was so close!" Inuyasha said wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"I'm scared, Inu. He warned us not to get too close. He knows. What if something happens," she swallowed audibly, "to Rin," she paused again, "to me?"  
  
"Nothing will happen to you, Kagome. I swear it," Inuyasha promised pulling her into an embrace, "I'll protect you."  
  
"Inuyasha," she whispered into his chest. _You can't promise something like that.  
_  
------ ------ ------ ------- ------ ------- ------- ------- -------  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome didn't go to the park to see if they could find a lead. Instead the couple headed to a bar only a few blocks from headquarters.  
  
"I just really need a drink and from the looks of it, you do too," Inuyasha said as they sat down at the bar.  
  
The bartender wandered over, "Hey Higurashi, missed you yesterday. Your usual?"  
  
"You're the greatest, Bear. My usual sounds fabulous right about now, but make that for two, okay?"  
  
"Anything for my favorite Charlie's Angel," Bear said pouring two beers for them, "I'll put your order in priorit-_ay_!"  
  
Kagome giggled, "Thanks, Bear."  
  
When she turned to look at Inuyasha she saw he had a confused look on his face.  
  
"Come here often?" he asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Inuyasha, you don't have to use those corny pick up lines on me," she giggled which made him roll his eyes. "But, yes, I come here most Wednesday afternoons, bring some work in, sit at the end of the bar, and Bear brings me the usual."  
  
"So, what exactly _did_ you order us?" he asked.  
  
"Goat cheese salad," she answered with a straight face.  
  
"What?!" he stuck his tongue out.  
  
"I'm kidding!" she laughed. "I thought you could use a laugh after everything today. Relax. I ordered the standard chicken sandwich with fries and their best beer on tap!"  
  
"I can live with that, Kagome," he said before taking a sip of his beer.  
  
Bear brought their food out a few minutes later, "So, Higurashi? This your new partner?"  
  
"Bear, Inuyasha Taisho," Kagome said waving her hand between them and grabbing for a fry.  
  
Inuyasha put his hand out and shook the bartender's hand. Bear squeezed his hand tightly, "You protect Miss Kagome. She's been hurt somethin' awful after Onegawa's passin'. You hurt her, I'll hurt you."  
  
Kagome expected Inuyasha to say something snide back. After all, he had been a government trainer for years, but Inuyasha looked straight into Bear's eyes and nodded. Bear smiled his approval and walked away.  
  
"Come on, Kagome. You should eat something. You looked really shaky before," he said.  
  
_Men,_ Kagome thought. They ate lunch for the most part silently and headed back to headquarters.  
  
"Any better, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked when they got back to the office.  
  
"A bit. I want to call the coroner. See what the results say," she said, picking up her phone.  
  
"It's Higurashi, I want to know the stats on the body you got in the cooler," she said when they picked up in the morgue.  
  
After a few minutes of jotting info down, Kagome hung up the phone and rolled on her chair to Inuyasha's cubicle.  
  
"Well?" he asked looking up form his paperwork.  
  
"It seems the guy used non-traceable poison. There was nothing in his system," Kagome explained.  
  
"But they found him after only _2 hours_!!" Inuyasha exclaimed.  
  
"Apparently it only took an hour to leave the system," she said shaking her head.  
  
"This bastard's playing with us," Inuyasha said pounding his fist on the desk.  
  
"But, there's good news, Inu," Kagome said softly.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
  
"The results from the note found at your brother's house came back. There was a substance on the note, some type of dust put off from sanding drywall. And remember that muddy leaf I found?" he nodded, "Turns out its not mud, but a type of cement used in large skyscrapers," she explained. He put two and two together.  
  
"So what do we do? Go around to every new building in D.C.? There must be hundreds!" Inuyasha said exasperated.  
  
She lowered her voice, "Good thing you've got a logical girlfriend. We go to City Hall and look at the zoning records. This building is fairly new, we'll find it."  
  
"Girlfriend?" he inquired smirking at her.  
  
"I _better_ be after last night, jerk!" she whispered harshly.  
  
He placed a hand on her knee, "After last night and this morning I'm about to ask you to be _more_ than my girlfriend."  
  
She flushed, "What are you saying, Inuyasha?"  
  
He leaned closer to her and his lips brushed her ear as he whispered. "I'm saying you should quit work and become my love slave," he said smirking against her temple.  
  
He pulled back to see her glaring at him and her face was beat red, but as she opened her mouth to respond the lieutenant screamed their names.  
  
"Taisho! Higurashi! My office! NOW!" he screamed across the office.  
  
They both froze in place for a few seconds before Inuyasha spoke up, "Ever notice that he's only been yelling our names the last few days?"  
  
"Story of my life," Kagome said standing up to go to the lieu's office.  
  
"You don't think he knows, do you?" Inuyasha asked in a whisper, following her down passed the row of cubicles.  
  
"Gods, I hope not," Kagome whispered back.  
  
When they got to Myouga's office they found him staring out the window, his back to the two agents.  
  
"Taisho, you first. Good work yesterday protecting agent Houshi in a situation that was completely out of your control," he said his back still turned to them.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Inuyasha responded.  
  
"Don't thank me yet, Taisho," he said turning around. His face was red, "What makes you two think I wouldn't find out what you have been up to!?"  
  
Kagome's breath hitched in her throat and Inuyasha's heart rate sped up. They didn't dare exchange glances and both awaited the explosion that would come from their lieutenant.  
  
------- ------- -------- ------- ---------- -------- ------- -------- ------  
  
Ok.. so I had to push the two chapters together... apparently writing in a notebook isn't the same as typing it out (pout)... anyways.... Read and review! Hope you like! Sorry it took so long to update! Updates might be coming slower from now on... never a week long wait.. but still... it's gonna be a busy summer! Review! BakaInuGirl 


	15. Chapter 15

Agent Under Fire  
  
A/N: I am SO sorry about the wait! I've been trying to get a job and focusing a lot on my resume and trying to enjoy the summer. Each day I would tell myself 'I'm going to write another chapter' but then I'd put it off for some reason. All in all... no excuses and I'm sorry for the wait. Anyways... here's the next chapter! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!  
  
**Chapter 15  
**  
"Sir?" Kagome questioned lightly, not wanting to set her lieutenant off.  
  
"Taisho," Myouga continued in a low voice, "Your behavior yesterday in the office was completely unacceptable, albeit was because of your niece. We don't tolerate irrational behavior in this unit. However, because of your work with Houshi, I'll let it slide. But only this once!" Myouga bellowed.  
  
"I understand, Lieutenant," Inuyasha said staring him in the eye.  
  
"As for you, Higurashi," he said stepping to his desk. "Cyber has found the most_interesting_program on your computer." Kagome's face looked shock. "I gave you a_warning_to stay away from Onegawa's case!" he yelled.  
  
"Sir, Onegawa's case is not in that program," Kagome began.  
  
"Cases_related_to his murder_are_," the Lieutenant said slowly. "I don't need to tell you that creating the program put case information at risk to those interested and able, do I?"  
  
"No, sir, but," Kagome began to explain.  
  
"But nothing, Higurashi! I have never known you to disobey an order_or_place the unit's hard work in jeopardy! You're on probation until further notice!" Myouga yelled.  
  
Kagome's face fell and Inuyasha couldn't help but step up.  
  
"Sir, Higurashi was not the one who created the file and I was the one who pushed her to review the files to see if our Mr. X has worked before," Inuyasha tried to explain.  
  
"Who created the program Higurashi?" Myouga asked.  
  
"Agent Onegawa," Kagome answered keeping her voice as even as she could, although Inuyasha picked up on the sorrow in her words.  
  
"I can't let this slide," Myouga said shaking his head.  
  
"Then I'll take the probation," Inuyasha said quickly.  
  
Both Kagome and the Lieutenant looked at him like he had a temporary lapse of sanity.  
  
"Don't do this," Kagome whispered to him.  
  
"Sir, its my fault Higurashi used the program. I thought it could be helpful. So, I would like to take the probation," Inuyasha said not even sparing Kagome a glance.  
  
"If that's what you want, Taisho, then so be it. I want you two out of my sight and I don't want to hear anything about you two for the rest of the week!" Myouga exclaimed.  
  
The two agents nodded and left the office silently. Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's wrist and pulled him into the break room that was separated from the office. She slammed the door closed, "What the_hell_do you think you're doing?" she yelled.  
  
"Saving your ass, Higurashi!" he snapped back.  
  
"My ass doesn't need saving I messed up. I knew it was a bad idea but I kept going didn't I?" she said turning away from him and throwing her hands in the air. "I can't believe you justdidthat!"  
  
"I did it for_you_!" Inuyasha huffed at her.  
  
"Well, I could have taken the probation! I've been here for three years with nothing on my record! I can afford one mess up!Youon the other hand, can't afford a reprimand this early in your career!" she said turning back towards him.  
  
"It's expected of me to fuck up," Inuyasha muttered glowering.  
  
"Says who?" she asked.  
  
"Says_everybody_!" he yelled moving away from her. "You know the guys at Quantico are running a pool to see how long it takes me to get kicked back there? My brother and father expect me to mess up at any moment! And you don't even know about the lecture Myouga gave me before I started!"  
  
"About what?" she asked as an agent walked into the break room, coffee cup in hand. The agent took one look at Inuyasha's frown and Kagome's glare and backed out silently.  
  
"About_what_, Inuyasha?" she repeated.  
  
"About me not fucking up! About my first and_only_job is to protect you and I put you right in the line of danger!" he cried exasperated.  
  
"Excuse me?" she asked raising her eyebrows. "Your first and_only_job, Taisho, is to solve whatever case Myouga throws at you!"  
  
He stepped closer to her, the heat of her rage enveloping him dangerously, "No, Kagome. I was brought up from Quantico to protect you first, be an agent second."  
  
She took a step backwards, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I already told you how I bullied them into giving me a job up here. But what you don't know is that I was to act, as you were my first priority. To keep you from the guys that murdered Onegawa," he explained casting his eyes downward.  
  
"I don't understand," she said suddenly feeling panicked.  
  
He took a deep breath before continuing, "The Senior agents were worried about you after Onegawa's death. When I was assigned as your partner I was given certain details regarding his case. That there were threats similar to the one I received. About you, Kagome. They were coming after you. The Seniors had no problem placing me here because of my training, and because when asked, I said I would lay my life down for you; no hesitation. My job was to get close to you, to protect you," he finished.  
  
"You lied to me," she whispered.  
  
"No, Kagome. I didn't. I told you I'd protect you," he said.  
  
She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head," No, you... I..."  
  
He reached for her but she backed further away, "Kagome, please, I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
"Your_job_was to getcloseto me?" she opened her eyes, tears threatening to fall.  
  
"Kagome, please don't cry," he pleaded.  
  
She blinked back her tears, "I wouldn't give you the satisfaction of crying over you, Inuyasha Taisho."  
  
She tried to brush passed him but he grabbed her arm turning her back around. Kagome shot him a glare but he refused to loosen his grip.  
  
He scowled down at her, "Don't be stupid, Higurashi! I already told you I took the job because of you!"  
  
"Don't give me that shit. You wanted this job since your days at the Academy," she spat back.  
  
"I took the job first before I knew what they wanted me to do. And when they told me you were in danger I couldn't stand the thought of you being hurt," he said lightening his hold on her.  
  
"I don't need a babysitter, Taisho," she muttered bitterly.  
  
"Don't you understand? Your life is in danger! You will die if I'm not here to protect you!" he yelled.  
  
"Because it's your job?" she asked raising her voice.  
  
"Because I love you!" he yelled back at her.  
  
She made a small 'oh' sound and finally began to cry, "I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she managed between sobs.  
  
He went to her and softly wiped away her tears, "Please, Kagome, don't cry. It kills me inside when you cry."  
  
She buried her face in his chest and sobbed for a few moments before looking up at him.  
  
"I just can't sort through what I'm feeling," she said. "I don't want to be afraid, but I am. I'm angry with Myouga for not telling me what he knows. I'm angry with you for having to protect me when I've never needed that in my life. And I'm completely lost when you're around! It's like you touch me and I lose all thought, you make me angry and all I want to do is kiss you!" she ranted.  
  
"So I should make you angry all the time then?" he joked.  
  
She shoved him lightly, "Shut up, Taisho."  
  
"Kagome," he said gently. "I'll protect you because I want to, not because someone ordered me to."  
  
"How can I be so sure?" she asked her eyes showing hurt.  
  
He pulled her close and lifted her chin up before gently capturing her lips with his own. "You have to trust me. I'm not one to take words_or_actions lightly."  
  
He leaned down close to her ear and whispered softly, "I have only ever loved you, Kagome Higurashi."  
  
She pulled back enough to see his eyes and the pure emotions that swam in the depths. "Oh, Inuyasha," she sighed before returning his kiss earlier, none too gently.  
  
"Ahem," someone cleared their throat at the door, causing the two agents to jump apart, identical expressions of shock crossing their faces.  
  
Kagome turned, prepared for the worst when she saw Sango staring at them from the doorway.  
  
"Oh Sango, thank Kami. I thought it would be someone important," Kagome sighed in relief.  
  
"Hey! Iamimportant," the older woman pouted.  
  
"Sango, I didn't mean it that way. I meant I thought you would be someone that didn't know about... well you know," Kagome said glancing at Inuyasha before turning a slight shade of pink. Inuyasha just stood there shifting from foot to foot trying to think of a way to excuse himself from the scene.  
  
"Oh, well I was just coming for a cup of coffee. You know an extra caffeine boost before I go talk to the Lieu about me and Houshi," Sango said sheepishly moving towards the coffee pot.  
  
"Err, Sango, maybe you should hold off on telling Myouga for a few days. Taisho and I kind of upset him earlier," Kagome warned.  
  
"Oh, well, okay. Miroku would probably want to be here when Myouga finds out anyway. So, I'll wait for him to recover," Sango said sounding hopeful. "How did you upset Myouga?"  
  
"Well, I had... we... and..." Kagome stammered to explain.  
  
Inuyasha cut off Kagome's answer, "You know, Taijiya, the rookie always messes up in the first week. I was an asshole and messed up, tried not to drag Higurashi down with me, but Myouga called us both in. Ended up putting me on probation that's all."  
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered softly, looking up at him with sparkling eyes.  
  
"Come on, Kagome. Didn't you say something about going to city hall for those construction permits?" he asked trying to ignore the complete look of adoration radiating from his girlfriend's face.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, permits," Kagome muttered following him out of the break room. Turning back to her friend she waved, "Bye Sango. We'll see you later I guess. Oh, and congratulations again!"  
  
Sango just shook her head as Inuyasha and Kagome headed out of the office, "Oh, she's got it bad."  
  
----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ------- ------- ------  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha returned with the information from city hall late in the afternoon. By the time they got down to finding the building most recently constructed, most of the agents in the office were headed home. They had narrowed their search down to two buildings constructed only a few weeks before and two others that were completing renovations within the week.  
  
"Well, at least we're not searching the hundreds you thought we would," Kagome said cheerfully to a tired Inuyasha.  
  
"But we still don't know what we're looking for or what we'll be walking into," Inuyasha said stretching back. "We'll have to compile a team. Myouga will have to agree. But I think we should wait until next week to propose anything."  
  
"And what exactly would you be proposing, Taisho?" Kagome asked giving him a sly smile.  
  
He refused to take the bait, "Well, Higurashi, I did say I should make you my love slave. We could make that legal, you know."  
  
Her smile faltered and she paled considerably, not knowing whether he was joking or not, "What are you saying, Inuyasha?"  
  
"This," he said leaning close enough to capture her lips gently. She sighed and opened her mouth to accept him.  
  
"Now why is it that I'm always the one that catches you two making out like a couple of teenagers?" a voice asked from the aisle.  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome looked up at a smiling Sango, the two blushing slightly at the thought of being caught.  
  
"I just came by to say goodnight. I'm heading home, and I suggest you two do the same," she said walking away. She turned to call over her shoulder, "Maybe a cold shower would help, hmm?"  
  
"You know a shower doesn't sound half bad," Inuyasha whispered in her ear causing a shiver to run up her spine.  
  
She turned to look at him, blushing when she caught sight of the desire reflected in his eyes, "She's right though. She's only been the one to catch us so_far_. But someone else might. We should try to keep a low profile. Don't you think?"  
  
"You're right. Come on, Higurashi. Let's call it a night," he said gathering the paperwork.  
  
They left the office a few minutes later, and left alone in the parking lot Inuyasha snaked his arm around Kagome's waist.  
  
"Inuyasha, we just agreed we'd keep us low profile," she reprimanded.  
  
"I know, but I just wanted to make sure you're staying at my place tonight," he offered.  
  
"I said I'd come over, not_stay_over," she said stopping to look up at him.  
  
"But I can't let you stay at your place. I'm to protect you and I can't do that when you're by yourself in your apartment. You'll stay with me until we can get this guy," he said, nodding as if to confirm his idea.  
  
Kagome clenched her fists as her left eye twitched, "Taisho, I can handle myself. I_am_a federal agent after all._And_I kicked your butt the other day in a spar."  
  
She expected him to retort. Instead he took her hands in his and made her look him in the eye, "Please stay with me, Kagome. I don't know what I would do if you were hurt."  
  
"Inuyasha," she whispered to him. "Alright, but I need to stop at my apartment to collect some things. I can't keep borrowing your clothes."  
  
"You could just walk around the apartment not wearing anything at all," he suggested with an absent look, obviously fantasizing about her doing just that.  
  
"Watch it, Taisho," she warned. He gave her a quick kiss before heading to his motorcycle they had left at headquarters the night before.  
  
He followed Kagome back to her apartment and walked her up the stairs to wait for her to gather some of her belongings. When they reached her door he heard Kagome gasp.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw her alarmed expression.  
  
"My door is open. I could've sworn I locked it this morning," she whispered drawing her weapon. Inuyasha pulled his weapon as well and stepped in front of her.  
  
"Keep me covered. I'll go in first to see if anyone's here. I'll give you a signal to follow," he said keeping a hand on her waist to make sure she stayed behind him.  
  
She nodded as he stepped into the dark apartment. Inuyasha could see light coming from her bedroom but no shadows moving. He scanned the living room, seeing no one was there signaled for Kagome to enter as well.  
  
Inuyasha swept through the apartment quickly, checking the kitchen, bedroom, and bath. Finding no one there he turned back to where Kagome was standing and nodded his approval for her to walk around the apartment.  
  
Kagome gasped when she saw her bedroom. All of her clothing, her pictures, and some precious belongings were thrown about the room. Drawers lay open, her closet was almost empty, and her pillows were ripped to shreds.  
  
"Why did they do this? What were they looking for?" she asked to no one in particular.  
  
"Is anything missing?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"I don't know. I just don't want to be here. Inuyasha?" Kagome turned to him her face pale, almost ghost like.  
  
"Alright Kagome. Get some clothes together, we'll get you out of here," he said pulling her close for a hug.  
  
He let her pack some things while he went to see what was messed up in the rest of the apartment. He turned on a lamp in the living room and saw her normally tidy coffee table in complete disarray. Her perfectly placed photographs hung askew on the wall. He did a double take on the wall._That's not right.  
_  
There was an extra picture hanging on the wall but through the dim light cast by the lamp Inuyasha could not see what it was. He moved closer and frowned when he saw the picture was being held to the wall with a dagger. He wanted to growl in anger when he saw what image the photo had captured.  
  
Kagome came into the living room with a duffle bag when she saw Inuyasha staring at her wall. "Inuyasha?"  
  
He turned towards her, his face set in a deep scowl of anger. His eyes betrayed him though, and she saw a clear look of fear.  
  
"He knows we've been together, Kagome," he said slowly.  
  
She moved closer to him and saw a photo hung on her wall with something, "I don't understa," she gasped, as she was unable to finish her sentence.  
  
She stared at an image of herself, straddling what she could only imagine being Inuyasha. Her head was thrown back in ecstasy in the photo but she was easily identifiable.  
  
"Oh no," was all she could get out before a sob stifled all other thought. Inuyasha wrapped her in his arms protectively.  
  
"Let's get you to my place, Kagome," he said trying to sound as soothing as possible.  
  
"But he obviously knows where you live, too," she whispered.  
  
"He knew last night, too. But he didn't do anything. Because I'm there to protect you," he said quietly. Inuyasha ripped the photo off the wall before turning back to her. He led her from her apartment, picking up the duffle bag on the way out and down to his motorcycle.  
  
"We'll leave your Jeep here. My bike's faster if we need to go somewhere," he said helping her on his ride.  
  
They drove to Inuyasha's apartment in silence, ate a dinner of Ramen in silence, and changed for bed silently. Both exhausted from the day and worried about their future they both climbed into bed and held each other close. Few words were spoken, those that were had been whispered endearingly. Sweet kisses were exchanged and caresses were shared until the two young lovers fell asleep in each other's arms, restless to find what horrors would surround them next.  
  
----- -------- --------- ------- -------- --------- ---------  
  
So, that's it for Chapter 15! I hope you like it and again I apologize to the Nth degree for the ridiculously long wait! I was hoping to get this done before I go off into the real world. But we'll see where it takes us. BakaInuGirl 


	16. Chapter 16

Agent Under Fire

A/N: So I'm going to answer a few questions that reviewers have had:

I will NOT be removing this story and the only thing that would cause me to remove it is if it kicks me off. In which case I would post elsewhere. So no worries! I'm not going anywhere! I may be looking to jump out into the real world but I'll always write. I REPEAT! I WILL NOT BE DELETING THIS STORY!! So many people have asked me not to, I'm beginning to think I threatened it somewhere along the way, or it's an evil conspiracy... I just may go with conspiracy.

There MAY be demons in this story, however, Inuyasha is human in this fic but he has several of his demon features like his silver hair and golden eyes (I wanted to give him the cute doggy ears but I just couldn't see it for this fic, sorry!) The reason for his features will be revealed later in the story.

There are going to be several twists, I've already decided on two, maybe they're will be more, maybe not. Everyone will be affected.

Ok... so there are some answers... without actually being answers at all, haha. But really, an author has to have their secrets too! So, onto Chapter 16!

**OH! P.S.** **Lemon-Lime up ahead! Readers under 17 beware! R rating for a reason people!**

**Chapter 16**

Kagome awoke from a restless sleep of nightmares. The entire night she dreamt that she was being chased through the dark city, that Inuyasha had been slain by a faceless man, and that her death was looming just around the corner. She opened her eyes to find Inuyasha staring at her silently.

She stretched slightly and gave him a small smile, "How long have you been awake?"

"Just a little while. You were having a nightmare. I wanted to comfort you," he said, his eyes reflecting some greater emotion.

"I'm sorry if I woke you. It was awful. I kept running and I couldn't get away, and then you, oh Kami, Inuyasha," she said burying her face into his chest. He stroked her hair gently trying his best to soothe her and whispered reassurances in her ear.

"Kagome, I don't think we should go into the office today. I think we should just take a day for ourselves. Don't you think?" he said slowly. Her body tensed against his.

"Not go into work?! Are you crazy? Myouga will have our heads! And I know what you're thinking. Keep me in bed all day, safe from everyone else except you!" she said pointedly.

He chuckled lightly, "You got me, Kagome. I was hoping to get you started in your role of love slave." He leaned towards her and gave her neck a short kiss. Pulling back he looked carefully into her eyes, "I want to keep you safe, Kagome. I'm just not so sure going into work today is the best idea."

Kagome frowned, "I think being in a secure federal building is about as safe as you can get. Don't you think?"

"I thought so too until that bastard got through as one of the guards," Inuyasha replied darkly.

Kagome gasped. She had nearly forgotten that he was in the building. Meaning he could disguise himself as any agent, possibly be an agent himself. She wasn't safe and that realization came crashing down on her like an ice cold shower.

Inuyasha felt her shake slightly against him, "Look Kagome, we'll go into the office. Keep a low profile. I'll go talk to Myouga request that we get some security on this building and explain to him you'll be staying with me until this guy goes down."

"Tell Myouga about us?" she questioned.

"No. What happens between us is our business. And apparently Sango's as well," he smirked down at her. "I'll tell him that you've gone under my complete protection. That's what everyone wanted anyway."

"Okay, then let's get to work," she said jumping up from bed and heading towards the bathroom. "I've got first shower!"

"Can't we just have a repeat of yesterday?" Inuyasha asked still lounging on the bed.

"Don't press your luck, Taisho," she said stripping out of her bed shirt and throwing it at him, hitting him square in the face.

"Spitfire in the morning, too. Damn," he said before running to pounce on her in the shower.

A few giggles, moans, and a short while later found the two agents ready to face the day. Heading out of Inuyasha's apartment, Kagome was glad she had opted for a pantsuit that day considering they were taking the motorcycle.

They pulled up to the building after stopping by a coffee shop for breakfast and Kagome was reminded to go food shopping, as she was _not_ going to be living off of ramen forever.

"Inuyasha," she said trying desperately to fix her hair after the ride, "don't forget we're having dinner with your brother tonight."

He groaned aloud, "Do we have to? That sonofabitch is so damn self-righteous!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped. "How can you be so cruel? His daughter is missing and he seeks the comfort of his younger brother and you want to turn your back on him?"

"Kagome, you have no idea what he's like," he tried to explain.

"It seems I have no idea what you're really like!" she snapped before turning heel and heading towards security.

"What's that supposed to mean, Higurashi?" he called after her.

She flipped him off as she entered the building. _The nerve of that jerk! His one and only brother have just lost his daughter and he can't get passed some silly differences they had years ago? And his brother is self-righteous?? PLEASE!!_

"That jerks gonna pay!" she yelled as she walked through security.

"Agent Higurashi?" one of the security guards raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, sorry, thinking about a case, and NOT some fool named Taisho!" she said loudly knowing damn well he had heard her being just a few agents behind in line.

For the rest of the morning Kagome did her best "ignoring Inuyasha" impression, despite his best overtures which included a fresh cup of coffee from the break room, a random flower that he had obviously picked from the front of the building, and a paper airplane he flew to her desk with a simple 'I love you' scrawled across the inside. That last one had almost got her, but she kept her resolve.

_Arrogant jerk_, she thought darkly balling up the airplane and determinedly throwing it at the back of his head. He turned around giving her hurt puppy dog eyes. That almost got her too, but she suddenly found whatever blurb of work in front of her to need her utmost attention.

Lunchtime came around quickly, and that brought Sango to her cubicle, thankfully. "Kagome? Want to grab lunch out today?"

"I would love to, Sango," she said flashing her best smile. She grabbed her bag and headed for the aisle when she felt Inuyasha's hand on her shoulder.

"Kagome, I don't think you should go to lunch without me," he said slowly.

"Oh? And why is that? The great Inuyasha Taisho will save me if I'm in danger?" she asked darkly.

"Kagome," he ground out, his patience wearing thin.

"Taisho, I am perfectly capable of going to lunch _without_ you," she spat out. Stepping closer to him and lowering her voice she added, "And I suggest if you want something more than Fang occupying your bed tonight you will find yourself perfectly capable of going to _dinner_ with me _at_ your brother's house!"

"Fine, bitch, I'll go. Satisfied?" he muttered.

"Yes, in fact," she smiled up at him. "Oh, and Taisho. Remember you wanted me this way. But I get paid to be a bitch, what's your excuse?" That earned laughter and catcalls from other agents around the office, causing Kagome's smile to widen.

She walked away with Sango gawping at her. "Kagome, you feeling alright? I mean you just totally emasculated Taisho back there. Don't get me wrong, I love watching male agents get knocked down a few pegs, but that was almost harsh."

"Almost being the key word, Sango. He wanted a spitfire, he'll get one," she said smirking in a very Inuyasha-like way.

The two returned from lunch almost an hour later giggling about something only close friends would understand. Kagome returned to her cubicle to find a post-it stuck to her computer.

_I'm sorry. _It read. She pulled it off to find another post-it directly beneath the first.

_I was worried about you._ The second note stated simply. She pulled that one off to find a last post-it.

_I have no excuse for being a bitch. _She giggled at his last note before crumpling all three and tossing them across to his cubicle.

He leaned back to find her smiling at him and shaking her head slightly.

"Enjoy lunch, Higurashi?" he asked before mouthing '_I love you_'.

She blushed and then rolled her eyes, "Very much, Taisho."

He wheeled over to her desk, "Listen Kagome, something you said earlier made me realize something. I've been so worried about you and catching this asshole that I completely glazed over the fact that Rin is still out there. Somewhere. I know she's alive, I can just feel it and I can't leave finding her til next week when Myouga will cool down. I need to get out there now and find her."

"Inuyasha," she whispered, placing her hand against his cheek. "I agree. So, first thing's first. We set up a team, then approach Myouga."

They spent the greater part of the afternoon setting up a team to finally finish their case. They needed the team to be able to split up and check out their leads on the newly constructed or renovated buildings, and then the ability to go in and bring them down.

"Sango's a definite. She wants to get the bastard that attacked Houshi, as much as we want," Kagome said when they were debating their team members.

"You sure she won't be too close to the case?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome sent him a pointed look saying, '_Aren't we all?_'

"Oh, yeah," he muttered rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay. Sango it is. Who else?"

"Jinenji," Kagome suggested. "He may look like he's all brawn but he's quite smart. Fast, too."

"Okay. Jinenji, check. I think we need one more team member," Inuyasha said putting together the proposal.

"I think we should bring someone with medical experience considering what happened last time. Don't you think," Kagome said quietly glancing at Inuyasha from the corner of her eye.

"I agree," he said scratching down some notes.

"Okay, then Kouga makes the team!" she said smiling.

"Whoa! What?! That Wolfe guy? No way!" Inuyasha started to protest.

"You agreed we should have a medical expert. And Kouga's a strong agent that could probably save your ass if you're hurt again. He thinks quickly on his feet and I think he'd be an integral part of the team!" Kagome countered.

"Absolutely not!" Inuyasha practically yelled at her.

"He saved your life, Inuyasha! You owe him and you know that he would make a great ally," Kagome pointed out.

"Fine! Fine! Wench," he muttered turning back to the proposal. "Wolfe makes five to the team. I think we should go to Myouga today. Get the mission approved and pull the team together this weekend."

They finished putting the file together and went to see the lieutenant. Considering his foul mood the day before he was quick to approve the agents' proposal even approved the team and allowed for the execution of their plan to begin that very weekend.

Coming out of his office Inuyasha turned to Kagome and nudged her arm lightly, "That seem a little too easy to you?"

"I try to ignore his mood swings nowadays. Some days he's really easy going, others he's a complete stubborn ass," Kagome said shrugging.

"So, about tonight, Kagome," Inuyasha started.

"You are _still_ going, Inuyasha. Grow a pair and deal with it. You're eating dinner with your brother," she said without looking at him.

He shrank back a bit, "You know, sometimes your really scary."

She beamed at him as though he had just given her the best compliment in the world, "Thank you, Taisho!"

_Yikes! _He shook it off and fell in step beside her.

"So? Shall we head home and get ready for tonight?" she asked him.

"Uh... sure. Home?" he asked.

"Oh, uh," she blushed, "You're home I mean."

He came up behind her after grabbing his briefcase and whispered in her ear, "Your home too now, Kagome."

She blushed up at him prettily, "Okay then, let's go!"

They headed back to Inuyasha's apartment to change for dinner at the senator's that night. Inuyasha had changed quickly and was taking care of Fang while Kagome did her 'girl' thing. Kagome emerged from the bedroom a short while later and almost caused Inuyasha heart failure.

"You look so damn sexy, Kagome," he said moving towards her to put his arms around her waist.

"Watch the hands, Taisho. I don't want any wrinkles on my dress before we get there tonight," she reprimanded. Said dress was the little black dress every woman killed for to have in her wardrobe. It had a diagonal cut to both the neckline and hem of the dress and hugged all the right curves, but leaving enough smooth skin unclothed to tempt Inuyasha to scrap dinner all together.

"Come on, Kags! You just look so good. Can't we have dinner with Sess another night?" he pleaded.

"No. You already know why you should be there for him tonight," she replied giving him a pointed look. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "You look good too, Inu."

He _did_ look good, too, dressed in dark gray slacks, a white dress shirt with the first two buttons undone and a royal blue necktie hung loosely. He had taken his hair down from the braid he wore earlier and the silver strands hung down his back in waves. Kagome felt the urge to cancel on the senator as well, but unlike Inuyasha she had the reserve and grace to deny her urges or at least postpone them a few hours.

"Well, let's go see that brother of yours. But do you think we can go get my Jeep? I can't very well pull up to a senatorial dinner on a motorcycle," she said.

"No need. Ten bucks says he sent a car to pick us up," Inuyasha said ushering her out the front door.

"Why do I have a feeling I don't want to take that bet?" she asked. He chuckled lightly and when they got down to the front of the building they saw a black limo awaiting their arrival.

"How did he know when?" she asked turning to Inuyasha.

"He's Sesshoumaru. He just _does_," he grumbled opening the car door for her.

Kagome grabbed his hand during the car ride and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "You'll be great tonight. You know that, right?"

"I'm never great in my brother's eyes," he said detachedly, staring out the window.

"Look at me, Inuyasha," she said turning towards him. He turned his gaze back to her that look of hurt radiating from the depths of his soul.

"You are an _amazing _person. You're one of the best agents I've seen in the three years I've been here, you're smart and intuitive, strong and talented," she said looking him straight in the eye. Lowering her voice so the driver wouldn't hear she nearly whispered, "And you make me feel things that I've never felt before. Fuck what your brother thinks of you, it's what you think of yourself that counts."

His eyes softened and he gave her a small smile, "Kagome..." he began.

She silenced him with two fingers against his lips. "I love you, Inuyasha. I know you're better than this and I know you care more about your brother than you let on. Be there for him."

He nodded reaching up and taking a hold of her hand, "Thank you, Kagome." He dipped his head closer to hers and placed a gentle kiss upon her lips.

They reached the senator's home just minutes later and Inuyasha took several deep breaths before leaving the car. Inuyasha held Kagome's hand all the way up the walkway. When they reached the front door it was opened by Jaken, apparently disgruntled by the prospect of having Inuyasha in the residency for very long.

"Good evening, Jaken," Inuyasha muttered, passing by the short man and not waiting for a response.

Kagura awaited their arrival in the foyer. "Inuyasha, Kagome, I'm glad you were able to make it tonight."

"Thank you, Kagura. We looked forward to seeing you again," Kagome piped up.

"The Senator and Miss Kaede await you in the dining room," she gestured for them to follow her.

"Where's Shippo?" Inuyasha asked, expecting the boy to spring out at him any moment now.

"Oh, Miss Kaede put him to bed about an hour ago. He joined an intramural soccer team and he's been tiring out earlier and earlier these days," Kagura explained.

"Shippo? Tired out? And it was soccer that did it alone? You sure no one's slipping him Benedryl in his milk?" Inuyasha teased.

"Inuyasha! That's awful!" Kagome berated in a whisper.

He chuckled as they entered the dining room to see Sesshoumaru seated at the head of the table with Kaede to his right. Sesshoumaru stood to welcome them and Kaede went to rise as well when Inuyasha waved her to remain seated.

"We'll come to you Kaede-baba," he said a little gruffly.

"Inuyasha, Miss Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said stoically while shaking their hands. Inuyasha nodded before heading over to Kaede to give her a hug. Kagome followed suit but bowed politely to Kaede in greeting.

"Oh child, ye must not be so formal. Give me a hug," Kaede said holding out her hands. Kagome complied and Kaede took the chance to whisper, "I can see why he loves ye so."

Kagome pulled back with an embarrassed blush staining her cheeks. She looked to Inuyasha for help but he was simply holding out a chair for her next to Kaede. Inuyasha took the seat next to her putting as much distance between him and Sesshoumaru as possible. Kagura sat to Sesshoumaru's left and Kagome noticed her pat his hand quickly before placing her own in her lap.

The dinner went surprisingly smoothly as Kagura and Kaede kept most of the conversation focused on Kagome and learning everything about her. Kagome asked about Shippo and Kaede told him how he had taken a shine to soccer and how one of his schoolmates had a small crush on him, a young girl named Souten. Kagome told them all about her own little brother and his mishaps with puberty, although Souta probably would have died of embarrassment upon hearing her regale of his life. The women chatted and laughed throughout the night but when the dessert and coffee were served the conversation had somehow turned to their search for Rin.

"We've created a team of highly specialized agents and we begin the execution of our mission tomorrow. With hope Rin will be back with you very soon," Kagome explained.

Kagura sighed with what could only be relief, "We can't thank you enough. No one has been the same without Rin around the house. We've all been worried so much. And since the press conference we can't have a moment's peace without someone trying to get some sort of story."

"We'll find her, Kagura," Inuyasha reassured. Kagome squeezed his leg under the table and shot him a smile.

"Your confidence doesn't reassure me, brother," Sesshoumaru said coldly, one of the few sentences he had spoken all evening.

"Don't start something you'll regret, Sesshoumaru," Kagura pleaded softly.

"My brother has somehow forgotten all the times he has failed before. What makes this time any different?" Sesshoumaru ground out.

Inuyasha stiffened next to Kagome and she looked at him with pleading eyes to remain calm.

"I have done nothing but my job this time, _Senator_. By the book. We will find your daughter," Inuyasha said pushing back his chair violently and walking from the room.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagura said quietly shooting him a glare.

"He's wrong," he said slowly, "It seems he's done more than his job here." He stared pointedly at Kagome.

She gasped when she realized what he was implying and narrowed her eyes at him. "How _dare_ you! He has done absolutely everything in his power to find your daughter. Even taken a bullet for the sake of her case! And you, you bastard, have the gall to tell him he will fail? At least he's out there trying to save her, instead of sitting here self-righteously acting as if you couldn't care less about Rin's life!"

She rose from her seat quickly, "Inuyasha is one of the best agents I've seen in a good many years and I'll be _damned_ if I sit by and watch you tear him down! You are a cold-hearted man, Senator. I almost feel sorry for you. But don't even begin to _presume_ that you know anything about Inuyasha or myself!"

She began to storm out of the dining room when she paused and turned to smile at Kagura and Kaede, "Thank you ladies for such a wonderful evening. Senator Taisho? Go fuck yourself!"

With that Kagome left the room leaving three people floored in her wake.

"Good for you, Kagome!" Kagura whispered.

"Kagura!" Sesshoumaru warned.

"What? You know she's right. You owe Inuyasha a great deal for even considering finding Rin," Kagura pointed out. "And... you _should_ go fuck yourself!" Kagura also rose from the table and left the dining room.

Sesshoumaru was now definitely in a huff, "And you Kaede? You think I'm being irrational?"

Kaede sighed, "I see ye are hurting, Sesshoumaru. But ye mustn't force young Inuyasha to suffer with you. He has found a bit of light in his life in this young Kagome, and he deserves your support in the search of _your_ daughter. Now if ye will excuse me I have a young child to check up on."

Kagome caught up with Inuyasha by the front door. His head was lowered and his fists were clenched tightly.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered lightly. He turned to look at her and she was surprised to see he was trying extremely hard to hold in laughter.

"What? Inuyasha?" she questioned.

He pulled her close into a hug, "You told off my brother better than anyone has been able to in years! And he wasn't even able to make a rebuttal!"

She looked up at him, seeing the earlier tension he had been feeling melting away, and she smiled.

He kissed her briefly before grabbing one of her hands and dragging her out the door, "Come on, Spitfire, let's go home."

He rapped on the window of the limo before getting in the back with Kagome and the limo took off for his apartment. He put the divider up between the driver's seat and the back seat and pulled Kagome close, placing warm kisses up and down her neck.

"You have no idea how sexy that was back there, Kagome," he whispered while running his tongue along her pulse point.

Her breath was coming out in fast pants and all she could do was make small mewling sounds in response. He placed a hand on the back of her head before kissing her deeply and moved his free hand to cup her right breast rubbing the hardening nub through the light fabric of her dress. Kagome reached her hands up into his hair and fisted them at the nape of his neck.

She moaned into his mouth and felt his hand traveling south when the car suddenly stopped. Inuyasha pulled away from her reluctantly and looked out the window to see his apartment complex.

"Time flies when your having fun," he smirked down at her. Her eyes were half lidded and her face slightly flushed from their activities. Her lips were swollen from his attention and her tongue snaked out to moisten them.

"Gods Kagome. Let's get upstairs fast!" he nearly exclaimed, scooping her up into his arms, shouting a thanks to the driver and dashing inside the building.

Inside his apartment he said a brief hello to his dog and headed straight for his bedroom, depositing Kagome in the middle of it, who was presently in a fit of giggles.

"Anxious, Inuyasha?" she giggled. He merely nodded as he pulled his tie over his head and kicked off his shoes climbing onto the bed. He crawled slowly over to her, molten fire reflected in his eyes. He carefully took off her heels and threw them somewhere behind him.

He pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, and recapturing her lips in a heated kiss. He reached up to pull down the strap to her dress, pulling the thin material down over her breasts, which he was surprised to see had gone bare tonight.

"No bra?" he asked with a smirk.

"Okay, okay. You caught me," she hung her head in mock-shame, "I was hoping to get lucky. You know a nice drive, a wonderful dinner, telling your brother to go fuck himself. I sort of expected you to put out after all that."

Inuyasha laughed, "Kagome, I think that is the _hottest_ thing you have ever said to me!"

She looked up at him, smirking like he so often did, "Yeah well, what can I say. You created a monster." She leaned up and began kissing and nipping his neck while her nimble fingers made quick work of his shirt, throwing it somewhere to her left.

She found herself moaning as she reached to undo his belt, but believed her moans to be the result of his hands attack on her already erect nipples. She removed his pants as he slid her dress off quickly. He pulled back to look at her to find her wearing only small black satin panties and her thigh highs.

"Gods Kagome," he moaned before pouncing on her. Giggles escaped her but were quickly muffled by Inuyasha's searing mouth upon hers. He began kissing his way down her body starting with her neck, moving to her breasts, down her smooth stomach and pulled on the waist of her panties with his teeth causing her to giggle again.

He looped his thumbs through the sides of the satin clothing and pulled them down her long legs. He kissed the inside of each of her thighs while pulling down her thigh highs. He pushed down his boxers on the travel back up her body and kicked them off to land somewhere on the floor.

"Inuyasha," she breathed before placing a kiss on his chest.

"Kagome?" he whispered.

"You know I meant everything I said before," she said between licks.

"About what, Kagome?" he stuttered out, his breathing becoming irregular with her continued actions. He trailed his hand down to cup her heat and slip two fingers inside her, preparing her for him.

"About you being amazing," she mumbled. She lay back on the pillows and looked up at him, taking in his perfectly toned body, hovering just inches above her. "I believe that about you, everything I said before. And I believe _in_ you. I love you, Inuyasha."

She reached up and ran her hands along his sides while leaning up and letting her tongue loll in the hollow of his throat.

"Kagome," he said huskily. "You're making me so hard."

She let out a sexy giggle. "You have such sweet pillow talk, baby," she licked his bottom lip before capturing his heated gaze, "Make love to me."

A strangled groan escaped his throat as he crashed his lips down onto her own and took her swiftly, sinking his erect member deep within her liquid heat. She gasped at the feel of him deep within her and he took advantage of her parted lips to deepen his kiss. Their bodies worked up a heat between them through their friction.

Kagome ran her hands around Inuyasha's back feeling his muscles strain under taut flesh, before moving them to tangle in his hair. Inuyasha, bracing himself with one forearm, moved his free hand to tease her breast, as he began kissing her throat.

Kagome soon found the pool of familiar heat flooding the pit of her stomach and she moaned aloud as Inuyasha continued the assault on her sensitive flesh. She raised her legs slightly, allowing him to go deeper, causing a delightful friction to develop between them. She spared a glance at her lover to see a thin blanket of sweat forming on his body, his eyes clenched in restraint.

She felt her body reaching a height, ready to crest the edge of her orgasm, but she didn't want to see Inuyasha restraining himself from the same ecstasy.

She claimed his lips and then breathed, "Cum with me, Inuyasha."

He looked at her with lustful eyes, before pumping himself harder into her tight passage, and crying out.

The pool of heat in her stomach that had built up to an impossible height now unraveled quickly sending warmth to every inch of her body.

"Inuyasha!" she cried out brokenly, as her inner walls contracted around his shaft that was shooting his seed deep within her.

He grunted after his final push into her core and slumped against her, his head resting between her neck and shoulder. Both lovers lay there, breath coming in short gasps.

"Kagome, that was..." Inuyasha began.

"Mind blowing," she finished for him.

He placed a chaste kiss against her pulse point, "I love you, Kagome."

She smiled up at the ceiling, "And I you, Inuyasha."

He pulled himself from her and pushed the covers down from his bed dragging her under them with him. He pulled her tight against him and kissed her shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" she asked.

"For believing in me," he answered. "When no one else would."

Her heart melted and she turned her head slightly allowing him to place a kiss upon her lips. They fell asleep shortly after in each other's arms, capturing a few hours of peace before the beginning of their mission tomorrow.

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See? AUF is NOT being deleted! This should prove it darn it! Three cheers for Kagome telling off Sess! Hooray for strong women everywhere! "Strength thy name is woman." As they say! So there was Ch. 16. Totally wasn't planning on the lemon but hey after that scene with Sess _I'd_ do Kagome! In all seriousness though, it just kind of happened... so... SURPRISE! Haha... hope you enjoyed! BakaInuGirl


	17. Chapter 17

Agent Under Fire

A/N: dodges tomatoes I'm sorry!!! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!! Well, as you've guessed… and if you haven't read the A.H. update I got the job. The only problem? It's a 24/7 job that requires my attention all of the time and offers very little time to myself. So it's been hard updating… BUT I HAVE NOT STOPPED THIS FANFIC! It just takes me a little longer to update nowadays since I'm a fully-fledged member of the work force!  Okay, so here... without further adieu Chapter 17 of Agent Under Fire.

Chapter 17

The morning broke ugly and gray when Inuyasha opened his eyes. He glanced over at the beautiful young woman lying in his arms and knew things had gotten out of control. _I can't let her fight today,_ he thought. As if hearing his thoughts, Kagome stirred next to him. As if sensing his eyes on her she turned towards him.

"What time is it?" she asked, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead gently, "A little before 5am. I couldn't sleep anymore, I'm anxious to get out there."

"I'm anxious too. My stomach's all upset this morning," she complained with a grimace on her face.

"I'll make you some tea. You should probably go shower since we're meeting the team in a few hours, and then you can sit and get your stomach to calm down while I get ready," Inuyasha said smoothing her brow.

Kagome nodded and groggily got up to go shower. Once in the bathroom she glimpsed her reflection in the mirror. She looked deathly pale and extremely tired. _Come on Kagome, get it together!_

She turned the shower on, but as she bent down to change the temperature a wave of nausea almost knocked her down and she scrambled to the basin hoping not to make a mess on the floor.

When her stomach started to get under control she noticed Inuyasha knocking on the door.

"Kags? You okay?" his voice called, laced with worry.

"Yeah," she replied in a shaky voice, "Just pre-mission jitters."

"Okay," he answered, "but let me know if you need help, you know, like washing your back." She imagined him grinning on the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I'll let you know how you can help," she murmured with a sarcastic glare at the door.

Kagome got into the shower slowly and enjoyed the delicious warmth of the water. She couldn't shake the horrible tremors consuming her that morning and she prayed that she could keep it together until after the team had met.

A short while later she emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her face formed into a small frown. Inuyasha came back into the room with a hot cup of tea for her and saw her expression.

"You sure you're feeling okay?" he asked her gently, moving to pull her to him. She gently pushed him away, reaching for the tea.

"I'm fine, Taisho. I just need to sit down," she replied rather harshly.

"Taisho? Geez, if you're fine I hate to see 'really upset,'" he muttered, turning to go take his shower.

"Inu, wait," she said in a small voice. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm really nervous about today. I'm beginning to think I'm too close to this." Her body seemed to slump down onto the bed and Inuyasha walked over and knelt down before her.

"You don't have to do this, Kagome. Look at everything you've been through so far, and in such a short time. Kami! Look at everything we've been through together!"

"I _have_ to do this, Inuyasha. You don't understand. He could have killed Houjou," her voice cracked mentioning his name, "And he's taken you're niece." She stood abruptly almost knocking him backwards. "No, Taisho. We're doing this. We've been making some _insane _decisions this week. And besides you said we've been through it together, so no stopping now!"

He stood at his full height so he could look down at her, "Insane decisions? Like _what_ exactly?"

She moved around him to grab some clothes from her bag, "Oh, come on Inu. Like me staying here, like us getting involved! Don't act like it's an every day occurrence with you to start screwing around with your partner!"

With her back turned from him she missed his hurt expression before confusion and anger took its place, "So you're saying you regret this. Us?"

She sighed and turned around to look at him, "That's not what I'm saying at all. I just feel that this is completely irrational behavior for me."

"So you're saying that you would never have done anything like this?" he asked his voice hard with an edge.

"Well, I've never done anything like this _before_. But I don't regret it. I could never regret it," she said moving towards him. "This is amazing. _We_ are amazing. Just because I think it's a little insane doesn't mean it's wrong. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I like this being a little crazy? A little reckless?" He shook his head at her. "Kami, Inuyasha! You said you wanted a spitfire, doesn't that mean a little insane, daring, and breathtakingly gorgeous?"

"Don't forget modest," he included, a small smile forming on his lips.

She smiled in return, "I'm sorry I seem a little off today. This is a bit scary really."

"We can't afford to be a little off today, Kags," he said seriously. "We need to be one hundred percent this morning. For the team."

She nodded solemnly before smiling again, "So is this our first official lover's quarrel?"

He cocked his head to the side as though he was really contemplating her question, "If it is, can you imagine the great make up sex we'll have?"

She playfully punched him in the arm and he grabbed her around the waist before giving her a small kiss, "Go sit down for a bit, spitfire, til you feel better. Then we'll get ready to leave."

She watched him disappear into the bathroom before turning her attention outside on the gray morning. _Come on, Higurashi, you need to keep it together for your team_, her mind berated,_ for Inuyasha. _

----- ------ -------- ------ ------- -------- --------- ------------- ----------- -----------

The two agents arrived at the training facilities shortly after 6am to see the awaiting faces of their mission teammates. They quickly explained the plan for the day's mission with only a few interruptions including some growls between Inuyasha and Kouga and a few questions from Jinenji and Sango.

The set up was simple: two buildings had recently been approved for new renovations and construction over the last few weeks, it was the team's job to scent out which building could possibly be housing their target, infiltrate the building, and take down their target with out the further expenditure of innocent life.

Jinenji was set up to enter through the top of the building. Although strong and fast his presence would be unmistakable in the building and the team would rather him enter at their signal than risk him being seen moving throughout the inside.

Sango and Inuyasha were set up to enter through the service area of the building and work their way through the building via the service stairwell.

To Inuyasha's chagrin and relief Kagome and Kouga were paired together for the mission. While he couldn't stand the thought of Wolfe being with Kagome, alone, for an extremely long time, he knew that he was an expert in the medical field and would be able to help her if they fell into trouble. Kagome and Kouga were set up to enter the building through the airshaft system, enter the main structure approximately half way up the building and meet up with Inuyasha, Sango, and Jinenji once their sector was clear.

They parked the surveillance vans approximately two blocks from their first target. The building could be seen from their position now and Kagome shuddered from the ominous feeling that fell over her like a blanket. She could feel that something was wrong inside the building but she couldn't let her team know she was afraid of what they'd find in there. She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize Inuyasha was briefing the team until he called her name a second time.

"Higurashi?" he asked again, his eyes showing genuine concern for her.

"Sorry. I was, um… observing the building," she covered.

Inuyasha's gaze turned cold, "You listening? I was explaining to the team that this building is our best bet. There was no name on the deed at City Hall only some organization's name, so we need to go in as if this is the real deal. You got it?"

"Yes, Taisho. I got it," she said frowning slightly.

Inuyasha unrolled construction plans of the building. "Good. Jinenji, we'll get you set up on the roof first. From there you can tap into phone lines and set up the whole building with our own personal sound system. Higurashi, Wolfe, you go in second. We'll set you up on the outside of the building as tourists. You'll be able to take surveillance footage with our equipment and no one will be the wiser…"

"So, Kagome and I can pretended we're newlyweds on vacation?" Kouga asked with a wolfish grin.

Inuyasha scowled and was ready to rip Kouga apart when he saw Kagome roll her eyes. Instead, he huffed and continued, "Once surveillance is completed you'll enter the building, right through the front door, and continue surveillance. I need you to photograph where all the cameras are, find out where security is, etcetera. Higurashi, get as much info out of a security guard as possible, any way possible."

"Any way?" Kagome asked sarcastically sending him a glare.

"You know what I mean. If they usher you out of the building make your way to the rear and access the airshaft as quickly as possible. "Plan B" is to continue to the third floor and enter the shaft here," he pointed to a location down a side hallway. "Sango and I are set up to enter the building through the service stairwell. We'll continue with "Plan A" once everyone has entered the building. Any questions."

He was answered with silence and nodded his head once before opening the door. The team stepped out onto the street silently and began to depart. Kagome stretched her hand to Inuyasha and when he took it she leaned forward and whispered, "I love you. Remember that no matter what happens."

Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms, but the team could not see that there was a weakness, so he simply nodded and walked away with Sango.

About a block from the building Inuyasha re-tested the radio equipment, "Alpha Red check."

Kouga was heard a few seconds later, "Alpha Blue check."

"Alpha Green check," Kagome said discreetly.

"Alpha Pi- why the fuck am I pink?" Sango cried exasperatedly. With a glare from Inuyasha she muttered "check".

"Alpha Yellow check," Jinenji chimed in. "I'm positioned on Tower 1."

Kouga turned to Kagome, "He's up there already?? Kami! He _is_ fast!"

As they neared the building Kagome turned to Kouga and waved her camera, "Oh come on honey! Just a few more pictures! I love the city!" She started snapping photos in Kouga's direction but focused in on the building behind him. After a few shots she grabbed his hand and dragged him inside.

"Come on baby! I've never seen a huge skyscraper before! Let's see what's inside," she laughed happily. Kouga just followed her lead and entered the building behind her, but once inside Kagome doubled over an eerie feeling taking hold of her body.

"You okay?" Kouga asked grabbing her arms to keep her from falling.

"No, yes, I don't know. I feel… this is… horrible," she breathed. After a few deep breaths she stood up and continued walking into the building. They both expected to see some type of security set up in the building, instead the building looked as if it hadn't been used in months.

"Alpha Blue, Alpha Green inside. No security present," Kouga said quietly.

"I don't like this," Kagome said in a shaky voice.

"Let's just make it to the airshaft. When we meet up with the others we'll go from there," Kouga said firmly, taking her by the elbow and leading her toward the fire stairs.

On the roof Jinenji had completed set up with sound and was now scanning the building. The building from the sound of it was empty, however there was an underlying layer of white noise penetrating his feed. He dismissed it as an electronic buzz set off from something inside the building and waited for further instruction from Inuyasha.

Inuyasha and Sango were meanwhile moving through the service stairwell silently although they were not making the good time Inuyasha originally thought they would. They moved slowly and silently pausing at each landing to listen in to the team. Sango rolled her eyes, as she knew it was really Inuyasha being paranoid that Kouga was alone with Kagome but kept her thoughts to herself.

Kouga and Kagome had both peeled off their "tourist" clothes to their uniform underneath and were now on their way up the airshaft when they felt a vibration from about two floors above. Kagome, climbing above Kouga glanced up into the shaft but couldn't see the cause of the vibration.

"Alpha Green to Alpha Red," she whispered in hushed tones, "There seems to be vibrations up ahead, it's making it difficult to climb. Orders?"

Inuyasha froze in fear the moment he heard Kagome's call. He glanced at Sango who shrugged her shoulders.

"Yellow? Cause of the vibration?" Inuyasha asked Jinenji on the roof.

"I didn't register a vibration, just some white noise probably from ventilation," Jinenji answered.

"Green, Blue, continue up the shaft, Yellow has not detected anything yet," Inuyasha ordered.

Kagome sighed and continued up the airshaft with Kouga following closely behind. A few minutes later the vibration came again, knocking Kagome's footing loose and sending her down to land on Kouga.

"Shit!" she whispered and tried to regain her footing while trying not to knock Kouga back down the shaft.

"Be careful, Kagome, we're six floors up!" Kouga said harshly.

"The vibration knocked me loose! There's some type of smoke up there… I can't see! What the hell is…" Kagome's scream cut her sentence short.

"RED THIS IS YELLOW!" Jinenji screamed. "VIBRATIONS ON THE 6TH FLOOR!"

"Shit!" Inuyasha yelled. "Taijiya let's move! Jinenji move now! 6th floor!"

Inuyasha flew up the stairs several at a time until he reached the 6th landing. He pulled his weapon, waited for Sango to be ready, and swung the door open into complete darkness.

"Taisho, it's the morning, why the hell is it dark up here?" Sango questioned in a whisper.

"I have no fucking clue!" Inuyasha spat at her while reaching for his flashlight.

The two beams of light cast out into the darkness but the two agents could hardly see a few feet in front of themselves. Inuyasha turned to Sango just as he saw her get struck hard from behind and go down.

"FBI!" he yelled as he swung around in the darkness. Searing pain registered in the back of his skull and then all he knew was blackness.

-------- ------- ------- --------- --------

"_Kagome," Inuyasha choked out, his mouth filled with the distinct taste of blood. He pierced the earth with his katana to steady himself as he stood. _

"_Inuyasha, your fighting disappoints me. I thought your anger over Kikyou and now Kagome would aid in your fight," Naraku laughed down at him. Kagome lay unconscious at Naraku's feet. _

"_You fucking bastard! If you hurt Kagome I'll…"_

"_You'll what? Kill me? Like you killed Kikyou?" Naraku laughed again taunting the young hanyou. _

"_The Kikyou I knew was already dead! I was just saving her from you! Bastard!" Inuyasha shouted while hurling himself and the Tetsusaiga at the evil hanyou. "You'll die next! Kaze no Kizu!" _

_To Inuyasha's horror just as the Wind Scar was thrown, Naraku used Kagome to deflect the attack. Her un-harnessed miko powers created a shield around her unconscious body protecting her from some of the attack… …but not all. _

_A rip of the Wind Scar penetrated her miko shield and Kagome's scream would be etched into Inuyasha's memory for as long as he lived. _

"_Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed into the night. Naraku tossed her limp body to the ground near Inuyasha's feet. _

"_You're so pathetic, Inuyasha. Killing the only woman who truly loved you," Naraku laughed. _

"_Kagome," Inuyasha sobbed picking up her seemingly lifeless body. His attack had cut a deep and sinister wound from her shoulder crosswise to her hip and she was losing blood at an incredible pace, her lips already turning a pale purple. Inuyasha crushed her body to his, his face buried in her hair soaking it with his tears. "Kagome I'm so sorry. He tricked me."_

She stirred in his arms and he looked at her. Her eyes had clouded over slightly but she spoke as if she saw him clearly, "Inuyasha, I need to tell you something before I die."

"_Don't speak like that!" he shouted harshly. "You won't die stupid bitch. I won't let you die!"_

"_I have to, Inuyasha," she whispered reaching up to brush away a few of his tears. "I have to die so that this will end. He's already destroyed everything… everyone else. You can't let him win."_

"_Kagome," he tried to tell her how he felt, how he had loved her for so long, how he had loved her when she was happy, when she was angry, and especially when she was sad, but nothing could come out. Even if he had wanted to she held two fingers to his lips, which he gently kissed. _

"_I love you. Remember that no matter what happens," she said faintly as her hand dropped to the ground. His voice would betray him if he spoke so Inuyasha simply nodded and dipped his head slowly to place a chaste kiss on her barely warm lips. _

_Inuyasha laid Kagome's body down gently placing her hands over her heart and stood to face his last and only opponent. _

"_Well, Inuyasha? Have you come to kill me then? Your family is gone, your friends are dead, your beloved slain. Have you the will left?" Naraku taunted. _

_Inuyasha smiled slowly as he raised the Tetsusaiga to his shoulder. Naraku's confidence faltered at the sight of the hanyou's smile. _

"_I will remember," Inuyasha said barely above a whisper. _

"_What?" Naraku called. _

_Inuyasha began running into his final battle, his eyes wild and glossy from his pain, his face set in a snarl, his hair flying wildly behind him. Naraku's eyes grew wide when he heard the hanyou let out a battle cry. _

"_I WILL REMEMBER!!!!!"_

--------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -----------

"I WILL REMEMBER!" Inuyasha screamed into the dimly lit room while bolting upright and receiving a jolt of pain up his right shoulder.

He glanced around the room, barely making out shapes slumped to floor around him. Through his returning senses he could tell his arm was dislocated and that his hands were bound somehow behind his back, his weapon gone.

"Fuck!" he cursed lowly.

From behind what seemed like a curtain came a man's laughter, "Still pathetic Inuyasha, and here I thought you would have changed somehow over the centuries."

"Naraku!" he spat.

"So. You've finally remembered," Naraku emerged from behind the curtain dragging an unconscious Kagome by the hair.

"Let her go!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I think not, Inuyasha. While your fight is still with me, I believe she is the only thing keeping you from succeeding in your task. You'd rather exchange her safety for my life," Naraku sneered.

"You asshole! I'm in no condition to fight as it is with my arm dislocated. I doubt you were able to do that on your own. Who's helping you?" Inuyasha yelled.

Naraku laughed, "Kageroumaru will no doubt help with your shoulder."

The man Inuyasha recognized from the old man's store stepped from the shadows. Stepping behind Inuyasha he grabbed his arm and pulled it backwards causing Inuyasha to cry out in pain. A crack was heard clear across the room along with a resounding "Fuck!"

"Now, Inuyasha. We will finish this fight properly," Naraku said tossing a katana on the floor in front of the young man and picking up Kagome the dark man moved to a fighting mat set in the middle of the gigantic room.

When Inuyasha stood up his eyes became adjusted to the dimly lit room, finding that it was not a room at all but the entire floor of the building. His remaining team members lay unconscious on the floor near his feet. Sango, a visible wound in the middle of her back, lay motionless in a heap. Kouga's legs were bleeding and Jinenji had cuts and scrapes oozing blood from his arms.

_If only I had called for backup before racing up here with Sango, _he mentally berated himself.

Inuyasha bent to pick up the familiar katana on the floor, "Tetsusaiga."

I can't transform you old friend.

Inuyasha moved to the center of the floor facing his opponent. Naraku stood motionless, having placed Kagome down against a wall covered by the huge tapestry, his eyes radiating that same sickening scarlet.

"What are you?" Inuyasha ground through gritted teeth.

"I am the demon Naraku," the dark man answered.

"You lie! I killed you! I remember!" Inuyasha shouted.

"If you remember, Inuyasha, then remember all of it! What did you wish for on the Shikon upon my death?" Naraku asked amused.

Let us be reborn at another time, so that I can be with Kagome.

"What have I done?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"You wished us all reborn. Well, I, like you was reborn. Whereas I am still a hanyou, you are cursed to be a full mortal. Pathetic Inuyasha," Naraku laughed. "Reborn! Relived! I shall relive that fateful day! Only this time, Inuyasha, I shall defeat you!"

"Why the homicides? You wanted me to find you! To see your "work" you sick bastard!" Inuyasha growled.

"I killed Kikyou to send a message. One you no doubt got loud and clear. The other, well, the other was for my own pleasure. But enough talk, Inuyasha, it is time you die!" Naraku sneered.

Inuyasha was knocked to the floor by one of the almost identical men by a punch thrown to his right cheek. Landing in a heap on the floor he noticed the other man crouched over Kagome against the wall, a scythe glistening in his hand.

"No! Naraku you bastard! This fight is between you and me! Leave them… leave Kagome out of this!" he pleaded in a hoarse shout.

Naraku looked over his shoulder and gave a short nod. Kageroumaru struck Kagome's face, her eyes flying open in shock and horror. She began to struggle but once the man held up the scythe she ceased her motions.

"Let history repeat itself, Inuyasha!" Naraku yelled his eyes gleaming with sinister amusement.

Kageroumaru lifted Kagome to her feet and in one swift struck the scythe into Kagome's left side, running the blade down about 4 inches. Kagome's eyes grew wide but she refused to allow them to hear her scream. Kageroumaru let her go and her body crumpled to the floor. Pushing herself up to her elbows she made eye contact with Inuyasha.

I love you. Remember that no matter what.

"Bastard!" Inuyasha yelled as he charged Naraku with the only weapon he possessed, the untransformed Tetsusaiga raised.

Naraku easily threw Inuyasha back across the room with little more than a wave of his hand.

"Damn!" Inuyasha cursed in a low voice.

_How can I beat him? How can I beat something that's not human?_

_But he _is _human,_ he told himself. _Or at least partially. _

Inuyasha charged Naraku again with the Tetsusaiga drawn, only this time instead of sending Inuyasha flying he reached out and sliced across his chest using a short blade. Inuyasha was thrown into the wall covered with the tapestry and landed on his side next to Kagome. Looking up at the wall he saw part of the tapestry that was uncovered. It depicted the last fight between all of them and Naraku, although not to accuracy. _This was all supposed to happen,_ he thought grimly_, I made this happen. _

"Kagome," he murmured getting up on his knees and drawing her body to his own. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up into his face, now smeared with dust and dirt from the building.

"Inuyasha, you can't let him win," she whispered.

"I won't Kagome. I remember," he said gently before placing her on the ground.

Inuyasha slowly stood, raising the Tetsusaiga before him, a small smile forming on his lips.

"I remember!" he cried as he flew at Naraku using all of his remaining strength. He knew Naraku would attack so he sidestepped the blow, rolling to the floor and effectively sweeping Naraku's feet from under him. Screaming Inuyasha plunged the rusted blade into Naraku's heart. Finally connecting with the demon blood the blade needed, Tetsusaiga transformed, while slicing Naraku's heart wide open.

Naraku realized too late what was happening and as he screamed his last curses at the hanyou turned human he erupted into a huge cloud of miasma, blanketing the entire floor of the building. A bright light pierced the semi-darkness and then Naraku was no more.

Inuyasha stood slowly on shaky legs and turned towards Naraku's "helpers."

"Who's next?" he taunted.

Just as Kageroumaru took a step toward him a shout rang out on the floor, "FBI! You're surrounded! Drop your weapons!"

Inuyasha smiled at Kageroumaru's stunned face and turned to find Kagome on the brink of unconsciousness. He knelt over her when he noticed he dripped something dark on her hand. He looked down and saw the front of his uniform covered in dark oozing blood.

"Shit," he cursed and then promptly lost consciousness.

--------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ------------

"Agent Taisho?" a soft voice called from the gray haze. Inuyasha groaned.

The soft voice sighed, "Agent Taisho? I need to give you your medication now."

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly and saw a prim nurse in a clean nurse's uniform staring down at him. He recognized the extremely sterile room as belonging to the headquarters infirmary.

"Kagome!" he yelled bolting upright and immediately wishing he hadn't done so. He found his chest bandaged neatly but his body ached all over and felt as if it was on fire.

The nurse gave him a sympathetic look and patted his shoulder, "Agent Higurashi's wounds were extensive."

"What are you saying?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Maybe I should let the doctor tell you," the nurse bustled out of the room. Inuyasha sat up slowly and slid his feet onto the floor. Yanking the IV harshly from his hand and gasping a resounding "Shit!" he grabbed a clean pair of sweatpants and wandered out of the room.

Out in the hallway Inuyasha saw a doctor looking over some charts and called out, "Hey you!"

The doctor turned towards Inuyasha and a frown formed on his face, "Agent Taisho, you should not be up from bed so soon."

"I need to find out what happened to Kagome!" he yelled slamming his fist against the wall next to him.

"Agent Taisho, maybe you should sit down," the doctor said solemnly.

"Doc! I need to know! Is she alive?"

"I'm afraid I have some things to tell you. Come let's get you back into bed and I'll tell you about Agent Higurashi," the doctor patronized.

Huffing, Inuyasha stomped back into the infirmary room and hopped on the bed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and when he finally opened them the doctor could see how worried he was about his partner.

"Please doctor. About Kagome?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"She sustained extensive wounds including a wound to her left side and some bruised ribs, which inevitably caused some internal bleeding," the doctor began.

Inuyasha placed his head in his hands, "Kagome."

"We've stopped the bleeding and set her ribs. The wound on her side will have to be watched for infection, but we think she'll make it through," the doctor continued.

Inuyasha's head flew up, "She's going to be okay? She's gonna be okay! My Kagome! Oh Kami! Doc you scared me!"

"There is something else, Agent Taisho. But I'm not sure I should tell you. I think I may have to wait until we contact her significant other," the doctor said grimly.

"Well you've contacted him," Inuyasha responded with a slight smile. He could almost see the doctor's brain processing that information.

"Oh. Well, Agent Taisho you should probably know… what I mean to say is I'm sorry… you see," the doctor fumbled.

"Doc what is it? You're killing me here!" Inuyasha said impatiently.

"While Agent Higurashi will make it through I'm afraid the child wasn't able to be saved," the doctor said slowly.

Inuyasha felt a cold shard of ice run down his spine, "Oh Kami! Rin! That bastard! She was there? In the same room as us and I couldn't even save her!"

"Agent Taisho, the young girl, Rin, is fine. They found her unconscious a few feet from your agents, a little battered but for the most part alright," the doctor said.

"Then what are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked confusion writ upon his face.

"You see Agent Taisho, the blood tests showed it had been recently conceived, and barely a few cells really. I'm sorry, but with internal bleeding that extensive, Agent Higurashi has lost the baby."

------------- ------------- --------------- ----------------

Okay so there! So stop your cursing! I'm sorry it took so long to update as I said work's been… well… work! But I have some ideas floating around and this fanfic is NOT over as you can clearly tell by the evil yet inevitable cliffhanger. So, I hope you like the new chapter. Sorry again about the horrible wait. I know some of you already have the pitchforks and torches out but I'm sorry! That's all I can say really, except that more works are in progress. BakaInuGirl


	18. Chapter 18

Agent Under Fire

Chapter 18

As Kagome rose from unconsciousness a sensation broke through the haze. She felt someone clinging to her right hand. Using more energy than she thought she had Kagome turned her head towards the sensation and slightly opened her eyes. Inuyasha clung to her hand in his sleep, his head gently resting on the bed, his body hunched over from an uncomfortable infirmary chair.

She opened her mouth to say his name but could not find her voice. Her mouth was dry and wooly and a short rasp escaped her parched lips. She tried to squeeze his hand with all the strength she could gather but he seemed not to notice.

Turning her head away from him she allowed her eyes to shut once more in exhaustion, her mind resurfacing painful memories. How could she have let herself be used as a bargain against Inuyasha? She was trained, she knew! How could she have let this happen?

_I let them down, _she thought to herself. _How can I face them all?_

She could barely recall the last few hours of her life. A haze had taken over her mind once she was brought into the infirmary. She had been slightly aware that doctors and nurses were asking her questions but she wasn't able to answer them, and once inside the operating room she had lost all conscious thought to the darkness.

Kagome heard Inuyasha waking but could not find the courage to open her eyes and face him. She felt him squeeze her hand gently before making a barely audible noise.

Then she heard him whisper, "Please Kagome, wake up. They said you would be all right. If there's a thing in this world called 'love' please let her wake up!"

Kagome squeezed his hand gently after she heard him issue a soft sob. She heard his short intake of breath and she turned her face towards him, her eyes remaining closed. Kagome sensed him moving closer and felt him brush his lips across her forehead softly before leaving two gentle kisses on her eyes.

Blinking her eyes open slowly Kagome looked up into Inuyasha's face, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

Inuyasha almost laughed with relief to see her awake. He leaned down closely to her and whispered, "Don't do that again, wench. I almost lost you."

"Inu… yasha," she managed to croak out. "Water."

Inuyasha looked quickly around the small room and spied a paper cup on the bedside table with a small plastic pitcher. Pouring her some water and grabbing the straw next to the cup he brought it to her lips. She drank as greedily as her body would allow before lying back with a sigh. Inuyasha dunked a finger into the water and placed a bit of water on her lips.

"That should help a little, Kagome," he said softly.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she said, her voice remaining a bit scratchy. "How long have you been here?"

"Since the Doc said I could come see you," he said avoiding her question. She would not be pleased to find out that he had been sitting there for the better part of two days allowing only Sango, the nurses, and the doctor in to see her.

A tear welled up and spilled over Kagome's cheek, "I'm sorry I hurt all of you. I should have been more careful, I…"

"Stop Kagome," Inuyasha bit out sounding a little gruffer than he had intended. He knew he offended her when she turned her face away from him. "It was my fault," he continued, "I'm the one that should apologize to you. If it wasn't for me and my stupid wish… Damnit, well you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Your wish? Inuyasha you're not making sense," Kagome said softly looking back at him.

"I can't explain it all right now," Inuyasha sat back in the chair heavily covering his eyes with his hands. "You don't understand, Kagome. I caused us to lose… you to lose… something so," as he searched for the words he brought his hands down in front of his face staring at them.

"What did we lose Inuyasha?" she asked confused. Fear crossed her face as she dare ask, "Not Sango? Kouga? Jinenji? What happened?"

Inuyasha mentally berated himself for getting her so upset and not just telling her. "No, Kagome. All three are fine, just minor injuries. Kagome, we lost a child."

Kagome sat up quickly in the bed, ignoring the searing pain that flew through her body, "Not Rin! Inuyasha I'm so sorry. How will Sesshoumaru feel?" She buried her face in her hands and allowed her tears to flow freely. Inuyasha moved quickly to her side and removed her hands from her face, tucking them securely in his own.

"Not Sesshoumaru's child," Inuyasha barely choked out the next words. "Our child, Kagome, you were pregnant with my child."

Shock registered on her features as she stared disbelievingly up into his face, "Our? I was… pregnant? And I lost… oh Inuyasha!" She flung herself into his arms not noticing the grimace of pain that crossed his face from having to tell her and from his own injuries.

He held her firmly and allowed her to cry, allowing even his own tears to fall silently as well. After awhile exhaustion and shock took over and she stilled in his arms, breathing heavily and occasionally issuing a soft hiccup from her tears. Inuyasha laid her down gently; stretching himself out next to her small form, and after a few moments allowed the darkness to envelope him as well.

* * *

The next few weeks were completely focused on the team's recovery. Sango, Kouga, and Jinenji, with minor injuries were the first to return to work. Inuyasha's wound to the chest and his previous injury to his shoulder hindered a fast recovery and he spent days focused on keeping his muscles from seizing up. He only suffered a few severe headaches because of his memories, remembering the whole of two lives, but somehow his focus always seemed to drift to Kagome.

Kagome's most damaging wound could not be seen by the others. When she had woken up the second day in the infirmary to find Inuyasha next to her, holding her, comforting her she had felt the bile rise in her throat. How unworthy had she been of his love? And to have lost his child? How could he stand to touch her?

Tears threatened to spill over and her shoulders shuddered with a silent sob waking Inuyasha in the process.

"Kagome? Did I hurt you? Are you alright?" he asked placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Don't…" she whispered, "don't touch me."

Inuyasha removed his hand from her as if he had been burned.

_She can't even stand my touch,_ Inuyasha thought. _How can I expect her to love me after I failed to protect her? After bringing Naraku back into our lives? _

It was at that moment that Kagome began to completely withdraw from him. She barely spoke two words to him the entire week she was in the infirmary, spending much of her time staring out the window or up at the ceiling. She had only spoken to her family twice since the incident and refused to tell her mother about her injuries. Inuyasha only left her bedside occasionally to shower and get fresh clothes from his home, sometimes remembering to check in with his neighbors about Fang.

A week after her arrival in the infirmary the doctors approved her for discharge. Inuyasha refused to let anyone but himself wheel her to the car. He helped maneuver her into the car as best he could, being hurt himself, and whispered softly, "We'll be home soon, Kagome."

"Inuyasha?" she asked quietly, the first time she had spoken directly to him in days.

"Kagome?"

"Take me to my home. I want to be there," she barely whispered.

"But your place was trashed! Please, Kagome, come home with me?" Inuyasha all but pleaded.

She shook her head gently and he could see tears forming in her eyes.

"Anything for you, Kagome," he answered dejectedly and closed her car door.

He had taken her home then, placing her in bed, and straightened her apartment until exhaustion took him over. She acted in much the same way for the following week. She gained a bit of her energy back through Inuyasha's care, though he refused to leave even when she pleaded with him.

By the end of the third week Inuyasha's bandages had been removed, revealing harsh pink scars left as a reminder for what he had failed to do. He came back to Kagome's apartment to find her lying in her bedroom in complete darkness, the shades drawn to eliminate the light. Inuyasha refused to allow her to continue like this. He stormed into her bedroom and flung the curtains open permitting the sun's rays to shine through.

"Alright, Kagome. Enough of this bullshit! You're getting up," he said gruffly moving around the bed to pick her up bridal style and carried her into the living room sitting them both down on the couch. He found that while she was awake she was not very responsive, her eyes glazed over and cloudy. "You're not going to get better unless you try, Kagome. Try!"

"No," came her quiet response.

"Yes, damnit! Please, I can't do this alone," he groaned, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. "Kagome, I need you."

"You don't," she responded tears forming in her eyes.

"How the fuck would you know!" he ground out harshly. "I need you god damnit. I've just found you again, Kagome. I don't want to lose you. Help me not lose you."

A loud sob was wrenched from her lips. "Stop Inuyasha!" she yelled, the first time he had heard any conviction in her voice for weeks. She struggled to get out of his grip but he held her tighter.

"No, Kagome," he said softly keeping his head bowed and his eyes covered by his bangs, "I won't let you go. Not again."

"How can you stand to touch me, when you know what I did?" came her tortured watery words.

He gazed up at her face, upturned towards the ceiling, her tears streaming down the side of her face. He leaned forward gently and kissed a tear away, "What are you talking about Kagome?"

She looked at him finally and he saw a myriad of emotions swimming in her eyes. Pain, rejection, and fear looked up at him, "I failed you. You and our… …baby," she whispered, tears forming anew.

"No, Kagome, never. You never failed me. I failed to protect you from that… thing! Can you forgive me?" he asked smoothing her hair away from her face.

She hugged him then, with as much strength as she could find, "You should forgive me, Inuyasha. Please?"

He reveled in her touch, the first time she had made contact with him willingly since he had held her in the infirmary. He chuckled softly in her ear, "Then we are both forgiven." He pulled away from her slightly, "Just say you'll stay, wench. I can't lose you."

She gave a watery laugh through her tears and nodded. He carried her back into her bedroom and laid her down, stretched himself out next to her and sighing softly pulled her close.

_I can't lose her now,_ he thought. _Not when I have to tell her about our past. _

"Kagome?"

"Mm hmm," she mumbled obviously already dozing.

"I have to tell you something," he began slowly.

She rolled over slightly, confusion lighting her face, "What Inu?"

He saw the fear of rejection light in her eyes. _She's scared you'll turn her away baka, _his mind berated.

"I… love you, Kagome," he breathed out leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulled back he saw that she was smiling slightly.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she whispered before turning over once more to rest.

"Don't you love me back, bitch?" he growled in her ear causing her to giggle.

"Well, I don't know. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and you haven't left my side in weeks! I'll have to think about it," Kagome said, feigning seriousness.

"Oi, wench! I'll remember that," Inuyasha grumbled before snuggling closer to her. Kagome couldn't see the smile that crossed his lips, grateful that his Kagome was on her way back to him.

* * *

One week later found the two on their way to headquarters for the first time since leaving the infirmary. Kagome had been improving every day and while she wasn't her usual chipper self she seemed in better spirits than she had been in weeks.

Sango had been reporting in to them about the office. It seemed Myouga was not happy at all about the outcome of the mission and reprimanded all parties involved, saving Kagome and Inuyasha for last. The two walked into headquarters dreading Myouga's reprimand.

"You know we should check on that wimpy Wolfe, make sure he's doing okay," Inuyasha offered.

Kagome just smiled at him knowingly and nodded. _He just wants to avoid Myouga for a bit longer,_ she thought to herself. They headed down to the infirmary and asked the nurse at the desk for Dr. Wolfe. A few moments after being paged Kouga came strolling down the hallway looking at his clipboard.

"What's wrong, Ayame, couldn't keep your hands off me?" he asked looking up at her with a wolfish grin on his face. He seemed surprised to see Kagome and Inuyasha standing there as well.

Clearing his throat he started to greet them, "Kagome, Taisho, how are you two feeling?"

"Save it Wolfe, we just stopped by to make sure you're no worse for ware," Inuyasha growled.

"Fine, fine. Sango and Jinenji are well, too," Kouga continued. "Kagome I trust your… …body is in great condition as always." Kouga stepped forward to reach for Kagome's hand but Inuyasha stepped between them, placing his hand on Kagome's arm.

"Back off, Wolfe. She ain't your woman. Not then, not now, not ever," Inuyasha spat at him. He knew Kouga would have no idea what he was talking about, having not called Kagome his "woman" in about five hundred years, but it still felt good to show Kouga who she had chosen.

"Alright, Taisho, relax. Is there anything else I can do for you two or did you only come down here to bite my head off?" Kouga asked, agitation clearly showing on his face.

Inuyasha seemed ready to retort but Kagome jumped in, "We just wanted to thank you, Kouga, for all of your help in the mission. Getting Rin back was our main priority and we found her thanks to you and the others. Be sure to tell Jinenji the same please?"

Kouga nodded and watched as the two agents left, the woman berating the man all the way to the elevators. Turning around Kouga saw the nurse scowling at him, her hands on her hips.

"What?" he asked hesitantly.

"You never protect me like that! You'll be sorry Kouga, I'll meet a nice man and he'll sweep me off my feet and THEN where will you be?" Ayame ranted as she swept by him, her arms laden with files, grumbling about ungrateful men. Kouga sighed, shaking his head at the woman stalking away from him and continued on his rounds.

Inuyasha and Kagome reached their floor a few moments later, Inuyasha placing his familiar scowl on his face.

"You ready?" he asked.

"About as ready as I'll ever be. Let's go," Kagome answered walking out of the elevator and taking her usual path to her cubicle.

They were assailed by people saying "Welcome Back" or asking, "How are you feeling?" By the time they reached their desks they heard a loud voice boom, "Higurashi! Taisho! Office! NOW!" The two agents looked at each other. Kagome looked worried, Inuyasha looked angry.

"Why does he always do that? He always treats us like we're dogs to come running at his beck and call! Can't he call us like every other human being: on the phone!" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Taisho just let it go. We're in the office now, and you know what that means, Myouga's word is law," Kagome tried to calm him.

"Myouga's word is…"

"Stop it," she hissed at him under her breath.

She opened the door and closed it quickly behind them taking her usual stance in front of Myouga's desk, her hands clasped behind her back. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Inuyasha do the same.

"First of all, Higurashi I'd like to say how glad I am to see you feeling better," Myouga began in a normal voice. When she nodded he continued, "What I can't for the life of me understand is how you two wound up in this mess!"

"Sir, if I can just explain the mission," Kagome began.

"Forget the mission!" the lieutenant spat. "How could two of MY agents completely disregard the bureau's statute, MY statute, on sleeping with coworkers? You want to tell me that? How can I have one successful case when you two are doing God knows what in MY office!"

"Lieutenant it's not like that," Inuyasha tried to explain.

"Oh? Then how is it, Taisho? Are you or are you not sleeping with Agent Higurashi, your partner for God's sake! Don't bother denying it, someone from the infirmary confirmed Kagome's condition and who was responsible," Myouga bellowed.

Inuyasha dropped his gaze from Myouga and looked over at Kagome who stood with her full attention on the lieutenant, "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Oh why not, Taisho. Take your time! Sorry to keep you from speaking!" Myouga yelled, his face turning quite purple.

"I love her, Lieutenant," Inuyasha stated simply, his eyes remained trained on Kagome.

"Taisho what are you doing?" Kagome asked, never looking his way.

"No offense Lieutenant," Inuyasha started turning back towards Myouga, "But my sole purpose for being transferred here was to protect her. And now I have an idea from what. Did I get too close? Yes. But I would protect her with my life, Lieutenant!"

"And you failed, Taisho!" Myouga yelled.

"No, he didn't, sir," Kagome interjected. "Taisho did not fail his mission. I failed mine and was taken hostage as leverage against Taisho."

"Don't even get me started on that mess. The clean up crew only found two men when they swept through and THEY refused to say anything on what happened. You two are lucky Taijiya and Wolfe were here to straighten a few matters out," Myouga mumbled before sitting down in his chair. "As it stands your future cases are being downsized. The Shirakawa and Yukari cases are closed. One of the men found confessed to contacting Yukari using an instant messaging service, lured her to an undisclosed area and murdered her. Shirakawa is believed to be another victim to the Washington Shooter."

"Downsized?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Higurashi downsized. As of this moment you two are off all cases. I'm sending you back to research. Maybe there you two can remember why you wanted to be federal agents in this first place," Myouga snarled.

"Lieutenant that's hardly fair," Inuyasha started to argue.

"Fair would be to strip you of your badges. How dare you two do something like this under my nose? Do you have any idea what you've done to this bureau? Made us a laughing stock you have!" he boomed.

"What WE'VE done to the bureau? I've been fucking shot, sliced open, beaten, sent death threats, and run all over this earth for the bureau! Told I was not worthy to be an agent, then when I am I'm told I'm a fuck up! Well, sorry Lieutenant if WE offend you, but this woman is the best damn thing that's happened in my life!" Inuyasha yelled back. "I'll be damned if someone tells me this is wrong!"

Kagome was now staring at Inuyasha amazed then quickly turned to see Myouga turn every possible shade of red there was.

"Taisho! That's it! Your behavior has been completely unacceptable since you set foot in here! Your probation is now being revoked," he said calming down a bit.

"Revoked?" Inuyasha scowled at him.

"Taisho, YOU'RE GOING BACK TO QUANTICO!" Myouga bellowed.

"What? No! You sonofabitch! You can't send me back there! You're the one that wanted me here to protect her!" Inuyasha nearly screamed moving forward to Myouga's desk and flinging paperwork onto the floor. Kagome gasped and pointed at something on the floor, causing Inuyasha and Myouga to turn their attention away from each other.

Inuyasha bent down and retrieved the small note Kagome had been pointing to. Typed neatly on it was a short message:

**BURY HOUJOU.HIGURASHI WILL DIE IF SHE KEEPS DIGGING. DELIVER TAISHO TO ME.**

"Holy fuck," Inuyasha nearly whispered. "I was never supposed to protect her was I? WAS I YOU BASTARD? It was a ploy to get me here!"

"Taisho, that is none of your concern, now hand that to me," Myouga said evenly, a sweat breaking out on his brow.

"Lieutenant? What does this mean?" Kagome asked in a small voice taking the note from Inuyasha's grasp. When Inuyasha glanced over at her he was surprised to see she wasn't about to cry, that she was instead holding onto her last thread of decency. "Bury Houjou?"

"You have to believe me, I had no idea what he planned for you two," Myouga began sputtering. "You wouldn't let Houjou rest, Higurashi! He threatened to kill you if I didn't stop it. So I buried Houjou's file so you couldn't find him."

"You knew who he was?" Inuyasha growled at the now seemingly old man. "You knew, and did NOTHING to keep this from happening?"

"Never forget who you're speaking to, Taisho!" Myouga warned. "I knew nothing of who this monster was. I did all in my power to protect Higurashi!"

"You sent us to him!" Kagome exclaimed. "You approved the mission and signed our death warrant!"

"He only wanted Taisho. Something about wanting to take power back from the past. I thought you had a run in with him before," Myouga tried to reason. "I had no choice! This wasn't the only thing he sent to me! He threatened things you couldn't possibly imagine."

"You bastard!" Inuyasha yelled. "I'll nail your ass to the wall with this! The ethics board will have a field day! C'mon Kagome, let's leave before I do real damage to this sonofabitch."

Kagome nodded before following in his direction, Myouga screaming in the background.

"Ethics board or not Taisho you're ass is back in Quantico!"

Kagome turned around at the door, her body shaking in rage, "I trusted you Myouga… how could you?"

"I protected you Higurashi! I protected you!" Myouga's screams faded as Inuyasha and Kagome walked away.

* * *

"This ethics board of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has no choice but to recommend your removal based on gross misconduct for fraternization of a wrongful sort," the chairman read from the report. Inuyasha hung his head.

"However, Agent Taisho, because of your outstanding knowledge and use of forensic science, strategic planning, and execution in recent cases it is this committee's decision to have you remain in the bureau. You are removed from agent status and will resume instruction at the Academy effective immediately. This case is dismissed."

Inuyasha walked from the room dejectedly.

"Well?" asked a soft voice. Looking up he saw Kagome, a hopeful expression gracing her features. Sango sat across the hall with a healthy looking Miroku trying to sneak a feel of her bottom.

"Back to Quantico it is. It seems Myouga was right," Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome gave him a short hug. "You still haven't told me what happened in your review, Kags."

"Oh, it wasn't even the review really. It was questioning about Myouga's management of the division things like that," she waved off his question with her hand. "They said they'd call me in for a formal review next week."

"I won't be here for it. I return 'effective immediately' whenever that means," Inuyasha sighed. He took her hand gently and squeezed it. She sent him a gentle look.

Sango and Miroku made their way over to them, Miroku moving slowly not quite healed from his previous injury.

"At least the ethics board terminated Myouga," Sango commented. "I still can't believe everything he did. That's a first in bureau history you know. I guess it's true what they say, corruption starts at the top."

"Absolutely right Taij… err, Sango. And how corrupt we are!" Miroku said happily reaching for a squeeze.

"Your hand's just lucky I don't hurt you any worse," Sango laughed slightly.

"As much fun as this is, I should probably go clear my desk. Make room for the new guy," Inuyasha grumbled letting go of Kagome's hand and walking down the hallway.

"You know Inuyasha, Quantico isn't that far," Miroku called after him. "We'll see you all the time!"

"Not if I can help it pervert!" Inuyasha called over his shoulder.

When they lost sight of him Sango turned towards Kagome, "You haven't told him yet have you?"

"No, not yet. I just couldn't. I don't really know how he'll react," Kagome answered honestly.

"Well, we'll leave you two to say your goodbyes. 'Effective Immediately' sounds pretty serious," Sango said quietly. Grabbing Miroku's hand she pulled gently, "Come on 'pervert.' Time to show me how much corruption Myouga taught you."

Kagome smiled at her two friends as they walked down the hallway. She turned in the direction Inuyasha left and her smile faded a bit.

_I wish for you to always be happy, Inuyasha,_ she thought.

* * *

"I thought I'd come over and see if the rumors were true," a voice said, causing Inuyasha to stop packing up his briefcase and turning around. Kouga stood in the doorway of his cubicle, arms crossed, and a smug smile gracing his face.

"Shut up, Wolfe," Inuyasha grumbled before he turned around to continue packing.

"Don't worry, Taisho. I'll make sure Kagome's in good… hands," Kouga laughed.

Inuyasha spun around, lowered his voice and said, "If you lay one fucking finger on her, I swear you'll be viewing the world from your asshole."

Kouga frowned, "I'm not scared of your threats, Taisho."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha challenged.

Kouga looked down at the floor, "Listen Taisho. You and Kagome had thanked me the other day for helping with bringing down that Naraku guy, when really, I should be thanking you. All of us really, we know what you did to get that guy, and that's not easy on anybody."

Inuyasha's look of confusion was almost comical, "You're thanking me Wolfe?"

"Alright let's not go too far with this, just take it and like it, Taisho!" Kouga snapped. "Just know that if you ever gain agent status again, the division will welcome you back. Just know you'll still have me for competition."

Kouga smirked and extended his hand towards Inuyasha, who glanced at it for a moment. Inuyasha took his hand and shook it solemnly, meeting Kouga's challenge.

"That'll be one competition easily won," Inuyasha smirked back.

"Whatever Taisho. I'll see you around," Kouga said walking away. "Oh and don't let those Quantico jerks take you for a ride. Make them think you're lowering yourself back to the Academy and make them eat it!"

Inuyasha shook his head as he watched him head out of the office catching sight of Kagome coming in. She glanced up and met his gaze offering a small smile. She walked towards his cubicle and sighed.

"Effective Immediately?" she asked. He nodded and packed up the last of his things.

"At least my apartment never got fully unpacked," he tried to laugh but found himself unable to. "I'm gonna head over there now and pack up."

She nodded, "I need to tie up some loose ends here before moving downstairs to research."

"Kagome?"

She looked up at him, not quite sadly, but not exactly happily either, "Taisho?"

He lowered his voice, "Can I come by your place later? I don't really want to spend my last night here in an empty apartment with Fang."

"No!" she answered too quickly causing him to frown at her slightly. "I… uh, was planning a picnic for us in your apartment. You know, one last hoorah!"

"Oh, well if you want to," he said slowly. He grabbed his briefcase and headed out of his cubicle. Turning around he extended his hand to Kagome, "Agent Higurashi, it was an honor working with a fine agent as yourself."

Kagome would have laughed if he didn't look so serious. Glancing around she understood why, most of the office was watching their exchange. She looked down for a moment before raising her head, a look of determination crossing her features.

Shaking Inuyasha's hand she said, "Thank you Agent Taisho. But the honor was all mine."

"Ah hell, I'm out anyway right?" Inuyasha breathed before pulling Kagome close, crushing her body to his, and crashing his lips down on hers. Kagome parted her lips startled but quickly found herself responding to his kiss sliding her free hand up the back of his neck and pulling him closer. She was vaguely aware of his other hand pressed firmly in the small of her back. She felt his tongue sweep into her mouth and give the smallest of caresses.

They parted to the sound of catcalls and heckling from the other agents around them. Inuyasha watched as Kagome blushed and put a hand to her cheek as he started laughing.

"I'll see you later Spitfire," he said winking at her before walking out of the office. Inuyasha left headquarters a few moments later and turned to look at the building.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," he sighed and started walking to the parking lot when his cell phone gave a shrill ring.

"Taisho," he said after flipping it open. "Hello, Kagura. Yes, just fine. How's Rin? Good, good. He wants what? An introduction to society? Aw, hell. When? I can't I have to return… fine. Tonight. Right. I'll let Kagome know. Oh, and Kagura? Remind him not to be such a bastard this time?"

With that Inuyasha hung up the phone and headed home.

* * *

Ok! There's Chapter 18. I apologize greatly for the long delay! The story had taken a wrong turn somewhere… well not a wrong turn exactly more like a detour… and I had to find a way to bring it back around. I'm sorry that it takes so long to update. I'm finding more time nowadays. I guess it was all time management. Anyway, hope you enjoy! B.I.G. 


	19. Final Chapter

Agent Under Fire

BakaInuGirl

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co. they are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi!

Warning: Lemony goodness midway!

Chapter 19

Kagome's phone rang shrilly in her apartment. She was placing the finishing touches for her private picnic with Inuyasha in a basket when she turned to answer the call.

"Hello? Inuyasha! I was just about to bring the picnic over… oh? An hour! I can't possibly be ready for a formal dinner in an hour, Inuyasha!" Kagome was now frowning and frantically pulling things out of her basket.

What am I doing, she thought, and ran into her bedroom to attack her closet.

"No, Inuyasha, I want to be there for you, of course. I'll be ready on time. Okay, see you then."

She hung up the phone and tossed it over her head onto a pile of clothes already piling up on the bed.

" 'Can you get ready for a dinner with statesmen in an hour?' he says! Oh sure, Inuyasha! I just have a ball gown lying around the closet!" she mumbled angrily while pulling more clothes out. After she pulled out nearly every decent outfit she had she turned to the bed to assess the damage.

"I can't wear anything that's here!" she sighed. She was about to collapse onto the clothes when an idea struck her. "Sango! I'll call Sango and ask for her help!"

Looking around the room she nearly cried, "Where's the phone!"

After much digging and a frantic phone call later, Kagome grabbed her car keys and dashed out of her apartment, makeup bag in hand.

"Thanks for helping me, Sango. I really appreciate it!" she smiled to her friend in the mirror.

"Nff prfflm," Sango mumbled around hairpins she had tucked into her mouth. She had somehow tamed Kagome's mane of hair into an elegant French twist with several tendrils spiraling down to frame her face delicately.

"And I don't know how to repay you for loaning me this gown. What is it from?" Kagome wondered, smoothing her hands down the skirt of the gown.

Finally done with Kagome's hair and able to spit out hairpins Sango smiled, "Well, Kags, some of us female agents like to go to the annual ball the bureau throws every year!"

"The bureau throws a ball?" Kagome asked.

"Every summer, Kagome! Where have you been? Under a rock?" Sango joked.

Kagome frowned a bit, "I guess I've always just focused so much on work I never even knew we functioned as a bureau outside of the office."

Sango laughed, "Oh, Kagome! Only you! There! Hair's done, your makeup looks amazing, let's just get you up in that gown so it doesn't wrinkle on you."

Kagome stood and swished around Sango's bedroom, "Well?"

Sango clapped her hands and smiled, "You look amazing!"

The girls hugged briefly before Kagome thanked Sango one more time and headed for the living room. She was reaching for a small handbag she had borrowed from Sango when she heard coughing. Sango rushed over to Miroku who was sitting on the couch staring wide eyed at Kagome.

"Are you okay, Miroku?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"Swallowed… wrong pipe…" he barely made out pointing to a soda can. One harsh slap from Sango on his back did the trick though and he found his voice. "You look… wow, Kagome!"

She blushed deeply, "Thank you. Oh! Were you able to get in touch with Inuyasha to let him know I was here?"

Miroku could only nod as he continued staring at her.

"Houshi, if you don't stop staring I swear I'm going to knock you into next week," Sango threatened.

"I apologize my sweet, Sango. But it is only at your talent that I stare. You have exquisite taste my dear," he said sweetly.

Sango turned to Kagome and rolled her eyes, "How is it he can turn everything around so I believe him?"

Kagome shrugged as she heard a light knock on the door.

As she started for the door Sango exclaimed, "Oh no, Kagome! Let me get it! It'll have more effect if you come out of the bedroom!"

Kagome shook her head at her friend's antics but smiled and walked towards the bedroom.

Sango opened the door and found a scowling Inuyasha dressed in an expensive looking tuxedo. As he stepped into the apartment Sango could see his hair was neatly braided for the occasion.

"Hello to you too, Taisho," Sango mumbled sarcastically.

"Sorry, Sango. I just hate the fact that my brother has done this to Kagome and I. Last minute bullshit. Is Kagome ready or does she need more time?" he asked.

"I'm ready," she called softly before stepping into the living room.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped at her appearance. The gown she had borrowed from Sango was a floor length number the deep hue of a ruby. It shimmered slightly as she moved and appeared to be strapless although there was a filmy fabric that fastened at the center of the bodice and draped over her shoulders to rest down the back of the gown. The gown strategically covered any sign of scarring from their mission such a short while ago.

"I'll take your lack of speech as a compliment," Kagome joked. Inuyasha merely nodded.

"Gloves!" Sango nearly shouted causing everyone in the room to jump slightly. "I almost forgot your gloves!" She ran into the bedroom and came back out with formal length white gloves for Kagome.

"You know it's just a dinner, Sango," Kagome berated.

"With every major media guru there!" Sango reminded.

Kagome paled at the thought of having her image all over the news later that evening.

"You'll be fine, Kagome," Inuyasha finally said, taking her elbow and leading her towards the door.

"Thank you, Sango," Kagome said one last time.

"Stop thanking me. You'd do the same for me," her friend said waving them out the door.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha on the way out of the building, "Oh yeah, you look nice too."

"Gee, thanks Kags," he laughed.

"No, really I mean it," she stopped on the sidewalk and looked him in the eye. "You look great, Inuyasha."

"Thanks, Kagome. I'll be fine tonight," he said moving towards the limo Sesshoumaru had sent once more. "And besides, as a last resort I'll just show off my beautiful escort for the evening and everyone will forget about me."

Kagome giggled and slapped him on the arm lightly, "Come on, Inuyasha. Your public awaits."

"Announcing Miss Kagome Higurashi and Master Inuyasha Taisho!"

"Master?" Kagome whispered as they descended the stairs into the room.

"I have no fucking idea," Inuyasha mumbled through clenched teeth, which oddly resembled a smile. Flashes from cameras nearly blinded them as they entered the room.

Kagura welcomed them warmly when they reached the bottom of the stairs. She gave Kagome a small embrace and smiled at Inuyasha.

"I'm so glad you were able to make it tonight. I'm sorry it was such short notice," she apologized. Lowering her voice she added, "You know how Sesshoumaru can be."

"Thank you, Kagura and it was no trouble," Kagome responded. At Inuyasha's 'keh' she continued, "I just hope the senator can forgive our past transgressions in his home."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha whispered harshly.

"Oh no!" Kagura shook her head. "Please know that everything you said was warranted by Sesshoumaru's behavior and that he deeply regrets anything he may have said to offend you."

Kagura leaned towards Kagome and whispered, "And I wanted to let you know that it took every ounce of my energy not to stand up and applaud you that evening!"

Kagome flushed, "I was out of line."

Kagura placed a hand on her arm, "You put Sesshoumaru back IN line, and for that I thank you. He may have been upset by the ordeal with Rin but it gave him no right to say the things he did."

Kagome just nodded as they were approaching the senator. Kagura left her side and moved to Sesshoumaru's side, linking her arm through his. Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru looked down at the woman at his side, a strange expression on his face, before returning to the conversation.

"Excuse me, gentlemen but I would like to introduce my brother, Inuyasha Taisho," Sesshoumaru said.

Two older gentlemen turned to greet Inuyasha and one extended his hand solemnly, "Fine work, Taisho. Your brother has been telling us about your success with finding his daughter."

"Sesshoumaru's been telling you that?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said moving next to his brother and placing a hand on his shoulder tightly, "Of course I would tell the Congressmen about your success in the bureau."

"Really, Senator Taisho? I heard rumors of several agents being removed from the bureau _because_ of their _behavior_," the second gentleman said.

"Inuyasha, Agent Higurashi, allow me to introduce Congressman Shirakawa," Sesshoumaru said stiffly.

"Shirakawa… Daughter Congressman," Kagome gasped.

The congressman turned towards her, "Yes Agent… Higurashi was it? I apologize if I am less than enthusiastic about the bureau."

"Sir, I'm sorry for your loss," Kagome offered.

"Your words do nothing to comfort me," the congressman spat before turning to walk away.

"Hey," Inuyasha started but Sesshoumaru held his hand out to stop him.

"He's not worth it, brother. He will cool off in time," Sesshoumaru said.

The remaining man turned towards Inuyasha and Kagome, "You must forgive him. He has not yet healed from losing his daughter. His wife is not doing well either."

"Well that will do for unpleasant topics for this evening," Kagura interrupted. "Tonight is to be an enjoyable night."

"You are right, Kagura," Sesshoumaru agreed. "If you will excuse us I must have a word with my brother before I address our guests."

"Kagome and I will go sample the champagne while the boys talk business," Kagura said placing a hand on Kagome's arm.

Kagome smiled at the gentleman kindly, "It was very nice meeting you." She leaned towards Inuyasha and placed a small kiss on his cheek before whispering, "Be nice."

Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru, "Well? Where do we go for the verbal beating?"

"The senators lounge," Sesshoumaru answered stoically.

"At least your honest," Inuyasha grumbled.

They entered a room lined with bookshelves and smelled slightly like old cigars. Sesshoumaru pointed to an old leather chair for Inuyasha to sit in.

"I'll stand thanks," Inuyasha said.

"Sit!" Sesshoumaru commanded.

He sat.

"You know, I used to only fear Kagome when she'd scream that but you're kinda scary too," Inuyasha smirked.

"You will listen," Sesshoumaru stated. "I must say it doesn't surprise me that the bureau has demoted you, after everything you have done."

"I have no regrets," Inuyasha ground out.

"I do not doubt it, Inuyasha. A fool never has any regrets."

Inuyasha scowled and started to return the comment when Sesshoumaru turned his back, "Inuyasha you are rash, impetuous, and at times ignorant in your actions. You let your emotions best you in times that logic should rule."

Inuyasha stood, his face red with rage, "Is this what you brought me here for tonight?"

"And for that I am grateful," Sesshoumaru finished.

"Wait… what?"

"For the first time I have been able to see what you are able to accomplish, little brother, when your heart rules over your head," Sesshoumaru said coolly.

"Where are you going with this?" Inuyasha asked raising an eyebrow.

Sesshoumaru turned around and Inuyasha could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile cross his features.

"You saved my Rin from that monster because you were able to follow your heart and do what was right," Sesshoumaru said staring at the floor. "I was never able to do that because father wanted me to use my head."

"Sess," Inuyasha started.

"No. I have not been the ideal picture of justice a senator should be, even to my own family. That is why you are here this evening, Inuyasha," he looked up at his brother who was looking at him quite comically. "I owe you a place in the family. A place you have been denied for far too long. You are my brother and I acknowledge you as such."

He held his hand out to Inuyasha who shook it silently.

"Now let's get you out there," Sesshoumaru said. "The sooner we get you out there the sooner I can stop being so nice to you."

Inuyasha smirked, "I wondered how long it would last."

Sesshoumaru stopped before they reached the door, "Inuyasha."

"Yeah?"

"My home will be open to you from now on."

Inuyasha shook his head, "Things really have changed haven't they?"

"I beg your pardon?" Sesshoumaru turned to him.

"Never mind, let's go," Inuyasha responded patting Sesshoumaru lightly on the back. "And thanks, Sess, I appreciate it."

"I figure this will at least stop Rin from talking about you," he said as they headed back to the party.

"I'm the big hero, huh?"

"You have no idea. If I hear one more thing about how cool 'Uncle Inu' is while I'm eating," Sesshoumaru said a smirk gracing his face.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," Inuyasha mumbled as they re-entered the main room. He spotted Kagome standing with Kagura across the room. They were laughing at something and Kagome was twirling a strand of her hair. Inuyasha's heart tugged.

"You're going to miss her, aren't you?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly.

"You have no idea," Inuyasha sighed. They walked towards the women and as they neared Kagome turned to him and smiled.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think I am," he answered, nuzzling her quickly on the cheek.

"Come Inuyasha. It is time," Sesshoumaru signaled for him to follow to a small stage where a string quartet was playing. Sesshoumaru approached a microphone that was set at center stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began. "I welcome you to my home on this special occasion. As many of you may know, my daughter Rin has been returned safely to our home recently. If it weren't through the cooperation of proper officials I fear the worst could have happened." At this the crowd began to murmur their sad agreement with Sesshoumaru. Only Senator Shirakawa had a surly look on his face when Sesshoumaru mentioned the officials.

"Before he returns to shape the new minds of the F.B.I., I want to introduce you to the agent in charge of finding my daughter. He is not only an agent but he is also my brother, please welcome Inuyasha Taisho," Sesshoumaru signaled for Inuyasha to step forward as the attendants began their applause.

"Do I have to say anything?" Inuyasha asked through a tight smile.

"No, just wave. I wouldn't want your mouth ruining what I just presented," Sesshoumaru whispered back.

"See, and I was worried the real Sess was lost to us all," Inuyasha replied sarcastically before giving a final nod to the crowd. He returned to Kagome's side as Sesshoumaru continued.

"Now I invite you to dine with me this evening and enjoy the festivities," he concluded and left the stage to gather Kagura and lead the guests to the dining hall.

"Ugh! My feet are killing me!" Kagome complained as she relaxed in the limo.

"Well, no wonder," Inuyasha laughed. "Look at the heels you've got on!"

"I had to look my best for your coming out party," she said demurely.

"Oi wench! You make it sound so girly," he scolded.

"If the shoe fits," she teased.

"Which yours doesn't," he stuck his tongue out at her.

"I can't believe how well you can dance, Inu," she sighed. "You should do it all the time. You'd have women floating after you."

"And this is something that you want, Kagome?"

"Well, no. But I'd love to see it so I could say, 'Hands off, he's mine!'" she giggled.

"Speaking of hands off," he whispered before scooping her into his arms.

She giggled as his mouth assaulted her neck, "Be careful with the gown, Inu. You know it's not mine."

"Then you shouldn't have worn red, Kags. You know how I like red," he groaned while grabbing one of her breasts roughly. Her head fell back shaking a few curls loose from the perfect hairstyle.

"Let's go home," she sighed.

He sobered at her utterance, "It's not my home anymore, Kagome."

He looked at her, his amber eyes burning with emotions he couldn't show. Her heart pulled to tell him but she stayed quiet. She placed her hands on the sides of his face and kissed his forehead lightly.

"It will all work out, Inu," she sighed.

"How can I live away from you? I finally found you again," he whispered.

"You won't be so far away," she soothed. "We'll be together more than you'll know."

"I love you, Kagome."

Before she could respond the car stopped in front of Inuyasha's apartment building and they stepped out. They walked silently into his apartment hand in hand and were greeted by an antsy Fang and a candlelit living room.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha started.

Blankets and soft cushions covered a part of the living room floor and candles were strewn around the room. In the candlelight Kagome could see the entire apartment had been repacked into the few boxes that Inuyasha had kept in the main rooms.

"Who did this?" Kagome wondered. Fang ran over to the cushions and gave a sharp bark. Moving over to the "bed" provided for the couple they saw a note lying in the middle of the blankets. Inuyasha retrieved it and read it aloud:

"Dear Inuyasha and Kagome, We hope you enjoyed the dinner. Sorry we won't be able to say goodbye properly, Taisho, but we thought this would be a nice way to see you off. Good luck in Virginia! Sango and Miroku

P.S. Kagome I packed a few things for you! Sango"

As Inuyasha read she looked down to find her duffle bag lying next to the cushions.

"How did she…" she began.

"She's a federal agent, Kagome. She could break into the White House if she wanted to," he reminded.

"Wow, they really don't waste time getting to the bedroom do they?" Inuyasha smirked.

" 'Fraid not," Kagome answered. "I'm going to go change and save this gown from you." She grabbed her bag and disappeared towards the bathroom as Inuyasha began loosening his bowtie.

"Come on, Fang. Let's give the lady her privacy," he called to the dog that retrieved his leash.

Kagome stood in the bathroom staring into her duffle bag.

"Where in the seven hells did she find this?" she asked her reflection. She pulled a satiny red nightgown from the bag that was barely enough material to cover her hands. "Of course it's red," she whispered rolling her eyes at Sango's choice.

I don't know if I'm ready, she thought. I'm still recovering from that monster.

She shuddered involuntarily at memories of the attack they all survived barely a month ago.

"I've barely let Inuyasha touch me since then," she sighed. She undressed slowly, removing the gown carefully and trying to fold it to minimize the effect any wrinkles might have. After folding her gloves and placing them on the gown, Kagome turned toward her reflection and grimaced at the harsh pink scar that traveled diagonally across her skin. Running her fingers along the scarred tissue she had to force the tears back that were rising in her throat. She put the nightgown on and started removing her hairpins, allowing her hair to fall in soft waves. She opened the bathroom door and started shyly back into the living room.

When she entered the room Inuyasha had already returned with Fang, now sleeping on his own cushion in the corner. Inuyasha had his back turned towards her and was working on removing his tuxedo shirt, his hair now hanging loosely down his back. She could see his own scars, harsh and shining in the candlelight.

We've all been affected by Naraku, she thought.

Fang made a soft whine when he saw her enter the room causing Inuyasha to turn around, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of Kagome in the soft light. He walked towards her slowly, now wearing only his tuxedo pants.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice filled with awe.

She had her hand lying across her scar and looked at the floor. Inuyasha hooked a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Kagome? If you're not ready for this we can just sleep tonight," he said quietly.

Her eyes were filled with tears but none fell, "I just don't feel beautiful yet."

Inuyasha's hand traveled down her throat and rested on the top of her scar, "Because of this?"

At her nod he leaned down slightly and placed a soft kiss where his fingers had touched, "Kagome you are _so_ beautiful."

When he straightened and she saw the sincerity in his gaze she gave a soft smile and nodded. She placed her hands on his shoulders and traveled her delicate touch down his chest touching each and every one of his own scars.

"We make quite a pair don't we?" she giggled softly.

"Just proof that we were made for each other," he smiled down at her. He took her hand and led her over to the blankets and cushions. He kissed her softly, placing a hand at the nape of her neck. Tilting her head slightly he deepened the kiss and felt her start to respond to him. She raised her hands and rested them on his hips, leaving feather light touches on his body.

She moved her hands to the front of his pants and began to undo the button. She giggled in his arms.

"What?" he asked.

"My hands are shaking. I can't get your pants undone," she laughed.

"Is that all?" he laughed, practically ripping the button off his pants and shimmying out of both them and his boxers at once.

Kagome placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him gently so he sank to the floor on his knees.

"Sit," she said softly.

He smirked, "What is with people ordering me to 'sit' tonight?"

He sat Indian-style on the floor and looked back up at her. Because of the candlelight she had shadows playing across her features. He reached for her hand to pull her down as well and she slowly straddled his legs, lowering herself teasingly over his growing erection, but never touching him.

He groaned in frustration as her hands explored his body, her touch like fire. He hooked his thumbs into the straps of her nightgown and lowered them over her shoulders, his lips placing kisses along her collarbone.

"I told you what red does to me," he murmured against her skin.

A moan escaped her lips as he lowered the nightgown further and took a pert nipple into his warm mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him at her breast.

"Kagome, I don't want to lose you," he looked up at her.

Her response was a soft kiss that he returned eagerly. She reached down between their bodies and grasped him lightly, stroking his member softly.

Inuyasha grasped her wrist to stay her touch and helped her stand in front of him. She frowned in confusion before he reached up and helped her step out of the nightgown. Standing in the soft light she became self-conscious and moved to cover her scar once more.

He shook his head and kissed her palm lightly. Inuyasha rose up on his knees and began placing tender kisses along her hip, moving his way across her body towards her core.

"Inuyasha," she sighed, her fingers tangling in his hair. He placed a hard kiss on her aching center and pulled back to look at her flushed face. He rocked back against the cushions and pulled her down on top of him lowering her down slowly onto his shaft.

She made a soft mewling sound as she sank down, pulling him in to the hilt.

"Wrap your legs around my waist," he instructed her. She could only nod, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly parted allowing a few pants to escape.

When Inuyasha slowly rocked inside her she gasped and her eyes flew open to look at him. His bangs were beginning to stick to his forehead as he fought to stay in control, and his eyes glowed with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

Inuyasha fisted his hand into Kagome's hair at the back of her neck and tilted her head slightly so her neck was exposed and pressed his lips to where her pulse beat strong. When he snaked his tongue out to taste her skin Kagome cried out.

"_I'm sayin' you should shut up so I can protect you!"_

Kagome closed her eyes against the images that were assaulting her mind. She barely registered the light nips Inuyasha was leaving along her skin as he thrust carefully into her body.

"_I'll stay a half-demon a little longer for you, Kagome."_

Tears ran down her cheeks at the feelings coursing inside of her, memories pulsing from somewhere deep inside of her. She clung to Inuyasha, her body moving in a rhythm with his, trying desperately to reach that peak.

"_Don't you know by now that I need you, Kagome?"_

I know, Inuyasha, she thought as the memories subsided. She blinked down at him and when he saw her tears he kissed them gently away, never losing the motion between them.

"I won't break, Inuyasha," she gasped. "Please?"

He needed no coaxing as he quickly rocked them so that her back was against several of the cushions and he was nestled tightly between her legs. He began thrusting harder inside her warmth; his jaw clenched so tightly that Kagome reached up to stroke his cheek.

He bent his head down and slowly licked one pink nipple, nipping lightly around it and pulling it into his mouth. She cried out and panted faster with every thrust he made. She felt the familiar warmth spiraling throughout her body and with the next thrust she cried out and fell over that cliff of ecstasy, clutching Inuyasha tightly to her.

He felt the searing walls of her core tighten around him and he felt his control slipping, when he heard her cry out he felt his member spasm and spilled his seed deep within her womb. After a few short thrusts he collapsed above her, careful to not put too much weight on her delicate form.

They lay in each other's arms simply enjoying the feel of each other when Inuyasha heard Kagome sigh something.

He lifted his head to look at her questioningly, "What did you say?"

"I said, 'I miss your ears'," she sighed again, her eyes still closed.

When she opened her eyes she saw Inuyasha gawking at her.

"You know?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I know."

He closed his eyes and hung his head, "Then you know what I did. I let you die."

She touched his cheek gently, "No, Inuyasha… you let me live. I just don't know how."

"I told you I would use the jewel," he smirked.

"You made an unselfish wish, Inuyasha. You allowed all of us to be together again. Does anyone else know?"

He shook his head, "And it wasn't purely unselfish. I couldn't live without you. I think that's why I'm human this time around."

"Oh, I don't even care how we're here. The point is that we're together," she smiled.

He took a lock of her hair in his hand, "Not for long. I leave tomorrow and you'll still be here."

"We'll find a way, Inuyasha," she gave him her best smile.

He nodded and disengaged from her, moving to pull a blanket over the two of them. He pulled her body against his and they snuggled down for their last evening in his apartment.

"Marry me," he whispered.

"What!" she squealed.

"Marry me," he repeated when she turned to stare at him.

"I…" she began.

"No, don't answer me right away. Think about it?" he asked.

She nodded and they settled down once more.

They made love several more times that night. No longer needing sleep but needing the feel of each other; to heal the wounds that scarred them inside. When daylight broke the couple got up and showered, packed the last few things away, and finished loading the moving truck Inuyasha had rented the day before.

He leaned down and kissed Kagome deeply before opening the passenger door for Fang to jump in.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha, it will all work out. Take this weekend to get unpacked and I'll be down to visit next weekend," Kagome said cheerfully.

"Right," he sighed. "And in the meantime think about what I asked you."

She nodded and he climbed into the truck, waved to her one last time and started off for Virginia.

"Well, Fang, what do you think?" Inuyasha asked the dog. Fang gave a short whine and then barked.

"Yeah, I know. About as homey as the last place, huh?" Inuyasha looked around the apartment, if that's what you could call it. The rooms were so small that Inuyasha was surprised the shower wasn't in the kitchen. It was already Monday morning and boxes still stood in every corner and once again he had only unpacked the basics.

"Okay, boy. Back to the Academy I go," Inuyasha sighed.

He arrived at the Academy quickly, ready to get the teasing from the guys out of the way. After getting past security he headed towards the administrative offices to fill out his paperwork.

"Taisho!" one of the instructors greeted from behind the main desk. "Man is the P.T. Unit gonna be glad to have you back."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yeah," the instructor continued. "You won't believe the new rookies. They're pathetic! We really needed someone like you."

"Hey, thanks man," Inuyasha gave a small smile. "Listen, I need to get my paperwork done so I can get to early training."

"No problem, we'll get your paperwork run through quickly, and then we'll have one of the Fitness Advisors bring you down to the training facilities."

Inuyasha was sitting filling out his paperwork to be placed back in the system when someone walked up to him, "Taisho. Bad news for HQ that they lost you."

Inuyasha looked up at a man not much younger than himself with dark black hair and a playful expression on his face.

"Bankotsu," Inuyasha stood to shake the man's hand.

"Let's leave this stuff to the desk jockeys and get you down to the P.T. unit," Bankotsu said grabbing the papers and shoving them on an administrative assistant's desk.

"I have to say that since you left the Academy I've had my chance to shape young bodies of future agents," Bankotsu grinned as they passed two young female trainees.

"You know you can't man," Inuyasha scowled.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still, it's fun to watch," he smirked. "Oh, and listen, I know you're worried about everyone here rubbing it in that your back here, but to be honest we know what happened up at Headquarters. Well, more or less anyway, and your cool in our book."

"Why are you telling me this?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well, let's just say one of our new director's gave us the heads up to be cool with you," Bankotsu admitted.

"No way. No special treatment," Inuyasha frowned.

"It's not your call. Sorry dude," Bankotsu said. "The new director's a hard ass and I have to tell you kind of scary."

"So who's this new director? Do I know him? Where was he transferred from?" he asked.

"Who said it was a guy, Taisho?"

"There's a woman director? For what department?" Inuyasha questioned clearly surprised.

"Investigative Training Unit," Bankotsu replied. "Apparently, she was some hot shot up in Washington. Maybe you knew her."

"I doubt it," Inuyasha shook his head. "I met some good people up there but no one like you described."

"We'll see, you're about to meet her. She insisted on meeting our new physical training advisor," Bankotsu said. They turned a corner and walked towards a conference room. Bankotsu opened the door and ushered Inuyasha inside. The conference room had huge windows that overlooked Hogan's Alley, the city especially designed for training young agents. The director stood with her back to the two men, her dark hair pulled into a severe bun, and wearing a dark skirt suit.

"Director, this is the Academy's Physical Training Advisor and Instructor, Inuyasha Taisho," Bankotsu said.

"Thank you, Bankotsu," the director said turning around. "But Taisho and I need no introduction."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "What are you… you're the new director of the Investigative Unit?"

Bankotsu smirked at their familiarity.

"Thank you, Bankotsu. I'll escort Taisho to the P.T. unit when we're through here. You're dismissed," Kagome said sternly.

After Bankotsu left the room Kagome rushed over to Inuyasha and flung her arms around his neck.

"Kagome?"

She looked up at him, "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I wanted to tell you that day you came out of your hearing."

"So, you weren't sent to research then?" Inuyasha frowned.

"The exact opposite! The board saw how well we worked on our case and they were actually quite impressed with the program that Houjou and I created for investigative purposes," she smiled. "So, I was assigned the Investigative Training Unit!"

At his shocked expression she giggled and kissed him soundly on the mouth, "Don't you see, Inuyasha? We'll be together. I told you it would work out!"

He finally smiled down at her and kissed her gently, "I still can't believe you didn't tell me."

A frown creased her brow, "I wanted to, I really did. But there was never really the right moment. But I have time to tell you now. Yes."

"Yes, what?" he looked at her questioningly.

"Yes, I'll marry you dummy!" she pinched his side and moved out of his arms.

"Ow! Oh yeah, right. Well, you're here now anyway so no rush right?" he joked.

"Inuyasha!" she scowled, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm joking, Kagome!" he grabbed for her but she moved away giggling. He caught her before she moved again and he kissed her, "I'll ask you properly this time. Kagome Higurashi, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes," she breathed before kissing him.

When they broke apart he laughed, "You know Bankotsu was right. The new director can be kind of scary."

She pouted and he grabbed her hand and led her to the door, "So, you're supposed to escort me to the field remember?"

"Right, and later you can help me unpack in your apartment," she smiled as she headed into the hallway.

"Umm, maybe we should find a bigger apartment," he said scratching the back of his neck.

"Why?"

"You'll see later," he laughed.

Inuyasha suddenly stopped walking, "So how are you a director? _I'm_ not even a director!"

"Don't tell me your jealous, Inuyasha," she smirked.

"Of course not!" he scoffed. "I'm not jealous of an _Investigative _Director."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Nothing, nothing," he held up his hands innocently in front of him.

She stood in the hallway glaring at him when he laughed, rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Spitfire, our future awaits."

The End

A/N: Well, there's the final chapter to Agent Under Fire. I appreciate everyone who enjoyed this story. It was fun writing and actually became a big part of me. R & R if you have time. Thanks again to all the readers and everyone who reviewed. Well, I guess this is my farewell to Agent Under Fire.


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